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Tuesday 28th September 2010 • Issue 244 • UEA’s Independent Student Newspaper
STUDENT SEX TRAFFICKER UNCOVERED Channel 4 documentary reveals Business Management student, Shuyu Wang, as West Country sex trafficker.
Further investigation has led to the discovery that Mr Wang was granted police bail by Gloucestershire Police some time after his arrest, and that in October 2008 Mr Wang failed to meet the conditions of his bail, with police sources believing the suspect to have illegally returned to his native China. Mr Wang remains a wanted felon in the United Kingdom, despite never having been formally charged or been to court. Annie Ogden, Head of Communications at UEA,
issued the following statement regarding Mr Wang’s arrest: “This is currently an on-going investigation by Gloucestershire Constabulary and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further on this case.” The investigation into his alleged involvement in the management of the Cheltenham brothel came as part of Operation Pentameter Two, a crackdown on human trafficking involving all 55 police forces across Britain and the Republic of Ireland, which was launched in early 2008. Gloucestershire Chief Constable, Dr Tim Brain, emphasised the importance of such operations as Pentameter Two: “It’s to improve our picture, but equally at the same time to ensure that we go after these gang masters, the people who are exploiting the women, and bring them to justice”. Detective Superintendent Alex Drummond, also of Gloucestershire, said of the operation, which resulted in 528 arrests across the country: “Prior to the operation, people running brothels may have thought they could escape under the radar, especially in a well-to-do town like Cheltenham. But now they know we have the resources to track them down.”
NEWS: Clarke appointed as visiting Professor of Politics
NEWS: Accomodation shortage hits students
NEWS: UEA scientists cleared
FEATURES: Concrete’s guide
SPORT: An introduction to the
Former Home and Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, appointed as visiting Professor of Politics. Page 3
Forty two students left without accommodation as a result of a university miscalculation. Page 3
UEA’s ENV school has been cleared by the Russell Muir report of any wrongdoing in the aftermath of the ‘climategate’ affair. Page 6
Freshers’ Week is the highlight of the UEA calender. Features gives you the essential guide, from the LCR to cooking. Page 12-13
Concrete Sport provides the lowdown on East Anglia’s premier sporting facility - the UEA Sportspark. Page 23
Chris King
News Reporter
A documentary has recently revealed that a suspected sex trafficker was arrested in halls of residence at UEA over a year ago. Mr Shuyu Wang, a Chinese national and Business Management student at the university, was arrested in his room in Colman House in February 2008 by Gloucestershire police, who conducted the investigation, with support from Norfolk Constabulary officers. Mr Wang was alleged to have been involved in running a brothel in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, although he could have been involved with several more. The police also suspected Mr Wang to have been taking part in money laundering. His arrest was only revealed following a Channel 4 documentary entitled ‘The Hunt For Britain’s Sex Traffickers’, which aired on 1st September of this year. The raid took place in the early hours of the morning, so as to cause the least possible disturbance to other students in the Colman House halls of residence. The documentary revealed that as well as being a registered student at UEA, Wang
had also previously registered with four other universities in the United Kingdom. Two of these have since been identified as the University of Cardiff and the University of Brighton. Police sources believe Mr Wang enrolled at one university at a time, before moving on to another after his poor attendance of lectures and failure to submit work was fully investigated and acted upon by the relevant university bodies. Police also believe that Mr Wang possessed a qualification of some repute from his time in China, which may have assisted his attempts to enrol at the aforementioned institutions.
On the run
Greg Mann
Arrest: Police launched an early morning raid on halls to arrest Wang.
to Freshers’ Week
UEA Sportspark
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NEWS
ISSUE 244
www.concrete-online.co.uk
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ANDY POTT LEAVES UNION AFTER 12 YEARS Davina Kesby
UEA’s Independent Student Newspaper Concrete Newspaper Union House UEA Norwich NR4 7TJ
concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk
Editor:
Editorial: 01603 593 466 Advertising: 01603 592 507
Danny Collins
Deputy Editor:
Steph McKenna
Chief Copy Editor
Mia Wecker
News Editor: Comment and Opinion Editor: International Editor: Features Editors:
Emma Parrott
Nisahvita Murthi Adam Fenwick Samantha Lewis
Turf Editor:
Anna Tomson
Lifestyle Editor:
James Dixon
Travel Editor:
Tom Hunt
Food Editor:
Kyle Spencer
Sports Editors: Chief Photographer: Deputy Chief Photographer: Advertising Manager: Distributor
Davina Kesby
Chris King Rob Schatten Greg Mann
Laura Smith Jean Wills
Ross Grant
Contributors:
Chris King, Georgina Wade, Roxanne Power, Gordon Malloy, Chang Su Ling, Kanishk Sharma, Allicia Chin, Isabelle Carty, Lauren O’Neill, Ellen Steers, Neil Jennings, Tim Marsh, Freya Barry, Susanna Wood, Hasina Allen, Anna Clayton, Matthew Taylor, Christine O’Sullivan, Andrew Livesey, Harry Fish, Matt Scrafton.
Proofreaders: Poppy Jones, Susanna Wood, Rachel Finlay, Ian Hobbs
News Editor
Following a role change as part of a new strategic approach for the Union, Andy Pott’s employment with the Union ended on 24 July. The former General Manager, who had become the Union’s Chief Executive in the restructuring, departed after 12 years of service. Tom Dolton, Communications Officer of the Union, said, “Over the 12 years that Andy has worked for the Union, we have seen significant growth and improvement. Not only have our commercial services continued to outperform those of other students’ unions but the service in the Advice Centre has been enhanced, and resources
available to clubs and societies have increased”. According to an advert placed on Guardian Jobs, the new Chief Executive will have a “subtle yet powerful influential ability” and will be skilled in “regular communications to improve the service offered by the union to the students”, amongst others. They will take responsibility for a range of union activities, including “maintaining and enhancing the reputation of the Union and building solid relationships with key business partners for the future” and “leading and coordinating the activities of the Union’s senior managers so as to ensure an efficient, effective and financially viable performance in all services and activities at the Union”. Rob Bloomer, the
Former Chief Executive of the Union, Andy Pott
new Finance Officer, will be leading on the recruitment process. Bill Rhodes is acting Chief Executive until a suitable candidate is found. The Union has been implementing strategies which help to refocus the organisation’s attention, working towards achieving
a nationally recognised award known as the Student Union Evaluation Initiative, or SUEI. This new strategic approach has included the appointment of a new membership services manager who has experience with the auditing process for SUEI.
available as early as possible. A critical first step towards making this possible has been to move the timetabling process from the previous stand-alone system and to integrate it into the rest of the student records system. This process has taken place during the summer of 2010. [It] has been a challenging project and, as a result, a few outstanding issues remain to be resolved, mainly concerning finalising the allocation of rooms to some events”. Professor Ward asked students to bear with the team whilst various troubles were resolved. Students were reminded to check their timetables regularly in case alterations had been necessary. Rachel Handforth, Academic Officer for the Union, said: “The Union is extremely disappointed with the failure of early provision of timetables for students for this academic year. The University used a new IT system which was meant to create individual online timetables for students, and had it worked correctly it would have resulted in a much more efficient system, with
timetables being released to students considerably earlier than usual. However, the system failed in terms of allocating rooms to lectures and seminars and as such has resulted in students receiving their full timetables with very short notice before the start of teaching. This is a regrettable situation to be in and we hope that the issues are resolved soon”. She went on to say that the Union trusts that the University will do “all that it can to ensure that this does not happen again, and makes considerable efforts to communicate with students as much as possible about any further changes to timetables”. In addition to the late timetables for many students, the school of Nursing and Midwifery (NAM) has encountered problems with the room booking system changeover. According to Faculty of Health Convenor, Liz Biscoe, rooms were being booked for practical clinical skills which weren’t fit for purpose and tutors had to change from practical to theory classes due to equipment not being available.
STUDENTS “DISAPPOINTED” BY LATE TIMETABLES Roxanne Power
News Reporter
A change in the way timetables are processed left many students receiving their timetables much later than they first expected. A large number of students did not receive their personalised timetables until the Friday before term
started. This left little time to rectify potential module clashes. In a message to all students, Professor Tom Ward, the Academic proVice Chancellor, said: “The Student Experience Committee has requested that the University make every effort to produce timetables for students
ISSUE 244
PRIORITY CAMPAIGNS The Union of UEA Students will be holding the first ever priority campaigns poll between the 4th and 11th October. Students will be able to vote upon which campaigns they feel most strongly about and wish the Union to prioritise in the upcoming year. There are eight options being voted upon, which have been collated through the manifestos of the newly elected student officer committee. Students can vote for ‘I’m Hungry for Feedback’, ‘Go Greener’, ‘Stop the Street Light Switch Off’, ‘Fight Fees’, ‘Education Cuts’, ‘Graduation Relocation’, ‘Reveal Hidden Course Costs’, ‘Better Buses’, ‘Campus Car Parking’, and ‘Stand up for Students Who Work’. Rachel Handforth, Academic Officer, said: “This is a great opportunity for both new students, who can learn about the campaigns the Union is working on, and for returning students who can ensure their voices and priorities are being heard”. Students will be able to vote online, with the Single Transferable Vote system being used.
NO SPACE AT UEA
With dramatic rises in university applications nationwide, UEA was named by the BBC as one of many universities who were unlikely to be offering Clearing places this year. This will have come as a blow to many A-level students who will not have gained a place at university. Bath, Warwick and Southampton also said they would have few, if any, places available through Clearing.
SURPRISE
PRESIDENTIAL VISIT The President of Sierra Leone made a surprise visit to the Law graduation ceremony in July. President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma visited to see his daughter, Alice Koroma, graduate with a 2:1 in Law. President Koroma is Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone. He met with dignitaries from the University including Chancellor Sir Brandon Gough and Vice chancellor Professor Edward Acton before attending his daughter’s graduation ceremony. 225 students graduated from the school of Law. The ceremony was followed by a marquee reception by the Broad.
NEWS 3
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Tuesday 28th September
ACCOMODATION SHORTAGE HITS STUDENTS Emma Parrott
News Reporter
Forty-two UEA students were left without campus accommodation after university miscalculations resulted in a shortage of rooms. The second and third year students affected were only informed of the situation two weeks before the beginning of the semester, leaving them disadvantaged in terms of finding alternative accommodation in
Nelson Court residences
Norwich. In a statement from the Communications Assistant, the University confirmed that it was a miscalculation, on account of the “unexpected level of take up of accommodation”, and that they, therefore, had decided to “prioritise new students who have no previous experience of living and studying in Norwich”. The fall-out from the oversubscription is heightened by the fact that the students had already signed a contract, committing themselves to the university-provided accommodation. Furthermore, it was a clear violation of Article 4.1 of the UEA license terms and conditions, which stipulates that in the event of the license being prematurely terminated by the university, it must be done in writing “by not less than 28 days’ notice”. Yet the students in question were instead notified by email on the 10th September, just 12 days before their moving-in date. The University does not deny the fact that a contractual agreement was broken, but insists
that they “deeply regret the inconvenience caused”. Dan Youmans, Community and Student Rights Officer for UEA, says that steps have been taken to try and rectify the situation. Affected students have each received £750 compensation from the university, intended to help them find privately-owned, rented accommodation in the city, resulting in a hefty £31,500 payout by the university. £750 is the amount the university decided on as the average cost of one month’s rent, a deposit and a bus pass. It is not yet clear whether these students will still be able to sue the university. As the contract is worth up to £3755.92, students could still be legally able to sue the University for anything up to this amount. The University confirmed this in their statement, saying: “We are offering to help these students find rooms in the private sector as well as offering financial support. We fully expect to be able to ensure that every student will be able to find local private sector accommodation, and in order to help, we have put additional
resources into the Students’ Union private sector accommodation service”. In an interview, Dan Youmans told Concrete that extra people have been employed by the University to work in the Home Run advice centre, to provide help to the affected students. However, one of the students in question, second year International Development student, Perry Clark, told Concrete that he does not feel that there has been sufficient support. Perry said: “The support I have received has come in the way of a couple emails giving us links to the ‘Home Run’ website and such. I haven’t even received a phone call.” In recent years the problem of miscalculation has occurred in other universities. Last year, over 1000 students from De Montfort University in Leicester and the University of Hertfordshire were put up in hotels after the universities, in a similar situation, accepted far more students than they could accommodate. Youmans said: “The priority is to make sure this never happens again.”.
CHARLES CLARK TAKES UP NEW POST Davina Kesby
News Editor
The former MP for Norwich South, Charles Clarke, has been appointed as a Visiting Professor at UEA. The post, in the School of Political, Social and International Studies, is a part-time position for the next three years. After losing his seat in the May General Election by 310 votes to Liberal Democrat, Simon Wright, Mr Clarke said he was “leaving open” the prospect of a return to politics in Norwich. He also said: “I am very grateful to UEA for giving me this opportunity to develop my own political thinking after more than 35 years of active political life”.
“Stronger relationships”
He went on to say that he hoped to help the university in building stronger relationships between academic political studies and active political practitioners. Vice-chancellor Professor Edward Acton said: “I am delighted that Charles has agreed to join us as Visiting Professor. He is skilled and
academically reflective, knows our city, region and mission intimately, has held great offices of state and been responsible for national higher education policy. I feel sure that our students and the University at large will benefit greatly from his insight.” Professor Hussein Kassim, Head of the School of PSI, said: “This appointment affords an opportunity for students and scholars in politics to engage directly with an experienced politician over a prolonged period that is all too rare in British academia.”
Tuition fees
As Labour Party Education Secretary, Charles Clarke oversaw the introduction of tuition fees and went on to become Home Secretary. He is known for his strong views, having attacked Gordon Brown on a number of occasions, calling him “deluded” in an interview with the Daily Telegraph. He is also vocal in his defence of tuition fees saying that the introduction of fees “was an absolutely important and necessary reform”.
New Visiting Professor, former Norwich South MP Charles Clarke
4
NEWS
NEW BUS SERVICES A new bus service from the University to the station via Newmarket Road has been put in place. This new 30 service will operate every 12 minutes Monday to Friday at peak times during University term times. In addition to this, the 25 and 35 will be operating under new timetables, with the 35 service running at later times. 35s from the university will run at 1.03 and 2.03 in the morning Mondays to Saturdays. Bus passes are available from the Union Travel Shop for £180 without insurance, £200 with.
UEA RISE IN THE RANKINGS
UEA has risen in the university world rankings, reaching an all-time high. The Times Higher Education World Rankings saw UEA come in joint 174th with the University of Nottingham and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The rankings are based on a variety of criteria including teaching, research, citations, industry income and international mix. UEA is the second fastest rising university, rocketing 128 places up from 302nd last year. Rachel Handforth, Academic Officer for the Union, said: “The Union’s really pleased with the University’s place in the rankings - it really pays testament to UEA’s excellent research, learning and teaching”. In addition to the international success, UEA has also risen in the national league tables, moving from 35th to 19th, according to The Guardian.
ED MILIBAND NEW LABOUR LEADER On Saturday, Ed Miliband was announced as the new Labour party leader. He narrowly beat his brother David, gaining 50.65% of the vote to David’s 49.35%. When it comes to student issues, Ed wrote in The Guardian that he would “bin tuition fees” in favour of a graduate tax. His words were backed by Aaron Porter, President of the NUS. Ed Miliband is the MP for Doncaster North and is a former adviser to Gordon Brown.
ISSUE 244
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CONTEMPORARY CAMPUS CHANGES Georgina Wade
News Reporter
Major refurbishments have been taking place on the campus over summer, the most noticeable of these being the improvements made to both the library and the LCR, ready for the start of the new 2010 term. The LCR has been a venue for university students and the general public alike for decades, providing entertainment in many forms, including club events, socials and music gigs; it has been a unique player in the growth and development of the university. Over the summer changes have been taking place in order to, in the words of Nick Rayns “improve the over-all experience of all of those who come to the LCR”. There are three main areas that the Union sought to upgrade: the venue for live music, the clubbing experience and making the area more safe and comfortable for its users. Along with a new energy efficient lighting system, extra reinforcement girders have been attached so that the intelligent impact lighting system can be mounted safely. The LCR has also taken large steps to improve the acoustics so that it will remain as a venue for the upcoming O2 Academy Tour. This has been achieved by slanting the ceiling in front of the bar to reverberate
the sound back into the auditorium. Along with this, specially designed domes have been fitted to the roof to aid the acoustics. This means that the sound will carry better in the pit and dance floor, while also making it easier to take orders at the bar. As there have been some questions as to safety within the LCR, the Union has strived to make it safe and more comfortable for its users by installing clip-on seats within the LCR. This was brought about as a result of a survey taken before the holidays in which there was an overwhelming opinion that extra seating was necessary. Along with this, the floor has been resurfaced with a special non-slip material so as to minimise the risk of injury. The library has undergone massive changes also, with a redesign and modernisation of the lobby area with hi-tech speed gates and a new reception area. There is also a newly built quiet reading area on Floor 1, complete with both formal and comfortable seating, along with benches of varying heights to accommodate both laptop and group work. In addition to this, the library will also be improving its green credentials with the introduction of recycling bins for paper, plastics, glass and cans. Students may also notice that PCs in open-access areas and teaching IT labs have been upgraded from Microsoft Windows XP to Microsoft Windows 7.
The LCR, including the sloped ceiling by the bar
The new entrance to the library
Laura Smith
STUDENTS PROTEST AGAINST FEES Roxanne Power
News Editor
Over the moving-in weekend for first years, a group of students took to the square to protest against fees and cuts to university
Students with their protest banners
funding. They handed out leaflets while sporting large banners and asking people to sign their petition. According to the Facebook group set up for the campaign, the group are “standing against
the marketisation of education in our society, in addition to cuts to educational resources and to all jobs dependent on education”. The petition, signed by around 600 people over the weekend, called for three statements to be fulfilled. The first of these was calling for “Edward Acton - the Vice Chancellor of UEA - to condemn tuition fees, graduate tax and any equivalent system, as well as cuts affecting university-dependent jobs and degree funding”. They also asked for “the Vice Chancellor to speak out against fees… particularly within Universities UK (the national association of university administrators)”. Their final pledge concerned Simon Wright, the Liberal Democrat MP, who originally signed the NUS Vote for Students pledge. This statement read “I pledge to vote against any increase
in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the Government to introduce a fairer alternative”. As the Liberal Democrats have now said that they will abstain on votes concerning fees, the group of students has urged Simon Wright to “honour his and his party’s election commitments to fight for free education within six years”. Matt Taylor, a representative of the group, said: “we’re a group of non-aligned students; we don’t have any political affiliation of any kind. The point of our petition is to call on our local MP (Simon Wright) and the Vice Chancellor to come out against fees and the proposed graduate tax, as well as university budget cuts. The Browne Report is coming out soon, which is going to make us pay more money for less product. We think it’s time for students to stand up and get a lot angrier about this”.
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NEWS
PROFESSOR WINS BLUE PLANET PRIZE A scientist at UEA has won a prestigious academic prize. Bob Watson, Professor of Environmental Science at UEA and Defra chief scientist is to be awarded the Blue Planet Prize. The Blue Planet Prize is an international environmental award which is said to be Japan’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Professor Watson was chosen because of his significant part in providing scientific evidence for the depletion of the ozone layer in the 1980s. He will receive his award in October in Tokyo, where he and fellow award-winner Dr James Hansen will each give a commemorative lecture. Professor Watson, said: “I would like to thank the Asahi Glass Foundation and its selection committee for the incredible honour of awarding me the 2010 Blue Planet Prize, which has been bestowed in previous years on a group of truly outstanding scientists and policymakers. It is a particular honour to receive it in the same year as James Hansen who has played a critical role in the climate change debate”.
FREE BOOKS FOR FRESHERS Students starting courses at UEA this September have been sent a free Man Booker Prize novel to read before commencing their studies. More than 5,000 copies of “In The Country of Men”, by Libyan writer Hisham Matar, have been sent to all new undergraduate and postgraduate students. The novel deals with a nine-year-old’s rites of passage and is intended to spark conversation between new students, regardless of what they are studying. Vice-Chancellor of UEA, Professor Edward Acton, said: “The idea is to set the tone for their experience of UEA, bridge cultural differences including the division between science and the arts, and encourage the reading of contemporary fiction”. The gift is part of an international initiative which has been jointly funded by The Booker Prize Foundation and the University.
PO NA NA TO BE RE-OPENED AS LOLA LO Students may have noticed that the club Po Na Nas is currently shut while it is undergoing refurbishment. When it re-opens on Friday 12th November, it will be a South Pacific themed bar called Lola Lo.
ISSUE 244
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UEA SCIENTISTS CLEARED IN CRU CRISIS Gordon Malloy
News Reporter
This July, the results of an independent inquiry into the Climatic Research Unit Scandal were released. The main areas that were investigated in this review were regarding data manipulation and whether the CRU had complied with the Freedom of Information Act. The Independent Climate Change Email Review was established by the Vice Chancellor and was chaired by Sir Muir Russell. The panel concluded that the scientists involved did not manipulate data,
but also said that they should have been more open about their work. Russell said when announcing the findings that “the honesty and rigour of CRU as scientists are not in doubt”. The scandal arose when emails dating back to 1996 were hacked, with over 1,000 emails and 2,000 documents being uploaded in various locations and published on the internet. Climate change sceptics suggested that a number of the emails pointed to data manipulation. CRU scientists defended themselves on the basis that the emails had been taken out of a wider context.
While the inquiry dismissed claims that the scientists had manipulated and suppressed key climate data, it criticised not only the openness of the scientists but also a graph from 1999 which did not seem to include proper labels. The report said; “we do find that there has been a consistent pattern of failing to display the proper degree of openness, both on the part of CRU scientists and on the part of the UEA”. As a result of the inquiry, Professor Phil Jones, who had been at the centre of the scandal, was reinstated with the newly-created
post of Director of Research. Vice Chancellor Edward Acton said that this new position saw a “shift in emphasis of role” and would release Professor Jones from some of the “administrative burden” of his previous role. Various investigations had been set up to look at the truth behind the scandal, most of which have supported the climate researchers. The investigation into whether the CRU failed to fully comply with the Freedom of Information Act concluded that responsibility lay with the university administration rather than with CRU.
office has been looked at before, with the defeated proposal of a “Campaigns and Representational Hub”. This idea was therefore revisited to create a space for staff, union activists and student officers to work in. According to Tom Dolton, Communications Officer: “the plans took some positives from the idea of the ‘Campaigns and Representational Hub’ such as the replacement of the out-dated heating system which is both expensive and inefficient, and the introduction of other eco-friendly
office equipment such as sensory lighting”. He added that “the plans did not include the negative aspects of the hub, such as the high cost and the removal of society space, in particular the snooker room”. It is estimated that the new office has cost under £30,000, with most of this money being spent on the replacement of the heating system. The refurbishment has been paid for out of the Union’s reserves and the hope is that the improved heating system will ultimately save the Union money. Questions have been raised
about how the refurbishment has been approved. In the past, minutes of the Management Committee needed to be passed by Union Council before drastic action could be taken. However, the minutes in which the decision to refurbish the office was made have not yet been passed. It seems that, with the change in constitution last year, minutes of the Management Committee can be passed by the Trustee Board. The new office will improve the “efficiency and focus of all the work that the Union does”.
the General Election. Postponed elections from May were left to be decided May 2011. Norwich and Norfolk County Council challenged the decision in the high courts and had it overturned. This decision triggered September’s by-election, with thirteen seats up for grabs. Speaking just before the election, Kit Jones, a recent graduate of ENV from UEA, who stood for the Green party in the
Lakenham ward, said: “Now isn’t a great time for another election, Norwich has gone through four elections in two years. Some people will be suffering from election fatigue by now!” These four recent elections were the Norwich North byelection, European Elections, General Election and the mega Byelection. Overall, Norwich Council now
has one of the country’s most equal chambers in terms of gender. Out of thirty-nine seats, sixteen of them are held by women. One of the new councillors is Ash Haynes, a UEA Development student. She stood for the Green party in the Town Close Ward and won her seat. Kit Jones stood for the Green party in the Lakenham ward, but lost out to the Labour candidate, Victoria MacDonald.
OPEN PLAN SPACE FOR STUDENT OFFICERS Davina Kesby
News Editor
Over the summer, the Union of UEA Students has refurbished part of Union House. The offices that were previously occupied by student officers have been knocked through to make one large open plan office. This has been done in order to rectify a problem with lack of space. Four additional staff have been employed by the Union, which led to a lack of office space, with some members of staff having to share offices. The idea of a communal
NORWICH COUNCIL BY-ELECTION RESULTS Ed Leftwich
News Editor
Gains were made by the Labour and Green parties in Norwich’s council elections held early this month. Both parties gained a seat, with the Labour Party remaining the largest party with sixteen seats, and the Green party in a close second with fourteen seats. The Green party had hoped to take the council, yet failed to take the crucial Lakenham seat from Labour. These elections were dubbed a “mega by-election” due to the unusually high number of seats being contested at once. The elections were triggered by a High Court ruling made earlier this year. The previous Labour government had decided to make Norwich city a unitary council. This would have separated the Norwich and Norfolk County council into two separate entities. The new Conservative-Lib Dem coalition reversed the legislation still going through Parliament during
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INTERNATIONAL
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ISSUE 244 concrete.international@uea.ac.uk
AN INTRODUCTION TO UEA Welcome Isabelle Carty International Writer
capture your attention. Take this opportunity to explore the grounds and get familiar with the halls if you’re going to be living in them. Join clubs and societies, make new friends, hoard free stuff, grab posters and plants to decorate your rooms and keep an eye out for the rabbits and squirrels that like to congregate on patches of grass.
“This is a week free from burdens of class schedules and an opportunity for guiltless fun in the name
Willkommen! Bienvenidos! Bienvenue! Welcome to UEA ! You are about to embark on an exciting adventure into a new and undiscovered environment. Whether your parents have sent you out into the world (or you went running); whether you’ve already seen the world and elected to learn something new; or whether you’re visiting from another country; one thing is certain, the adventure begins with Freshers’ Week! There are a multitude of activities and events all waiting to captivate you and
NORWICH
Societies and clubs will be vying for your attention all week. Why not try something you’ve always wanted to try but never had the opportunity? Whether it’s martial arts, a film society or perhaps even a hip hop or salsa dance class, there’s bound to be something for everyone. There’s still time before you have to start worrying about the fact that 90% of your final exam will probably be taken from the one lecture you didn’t attend or the one book you didn’t read! This is a week free from the burdens of class schedules and an opportunity for guiltless fun in the name of independence. So whether you’re here for a short stint or for the long haul, we hope you enjoy your stay.
White T-Shirt Night
Allicia Chin
Kanishk Sharma
International Writer
International Writer
Rich in its history as well as being amongst the most vibrant and attractive cities in Europe, Norwich is consistently rated as one of the top ten shopping venues in the UK and is a founder member of the Cultural Cities Network. It’s a place where the old meets the new. The city's medieval cobbled streets remain largely intact, but there is still space for modern buildings such as the city's newest centrepiece, the Forum - a stunning piece of contemporary architecture. Its glass front overlooks the colourful six-day market and reflects the city in all its diversity. Norwich has also always been a great place for a night out, with stylish café bars, pubs, clubs, cinemas, theatres, restaurants, nightclubs, concerts, exhibitions and festivals. Whether you’re into alternative comedy, classical music, top West End musicals or independent films and music, Norwich, with its plethora of arts venues and year long programme of entertainment, will always have something for you.
UEA takes pride in going to great lengths to make our Freshers feel at home with fun-filled activities and events for the first week. One such event is the infamous White T-shirt Night, exclusively for medical students. As the name suggests, each student is given a plain white t-shirt, which they can decorate with something about themselves. Students then congregate at the bar allowing them to relax with some refreshments and drinks. Throughout the night, the Medical Society organises ice breakers and games, enabling students to interact with each other. Some of the games include forming a human pyramid and capturing unusual and funny photographs. The White T-shirt Night, is usually an eye opener for international students, when they receive a taste of the English culture and students for the first time. The grand end to the evening is the pub crawl, where students can let their hair down and groove to some great music.
International Student Advisory Team Chang Su Ling International Writer
Whether you are studying at UEA for several years or for just one term, the International Student Advisory Team will be able to help you to get the most out of your time here and have a very memorable and enjoyable time. The team offers advice ranging from employment regulations, immigration and visas, financial advice, childcare provision and personal matters. They maintain a close link with organisations such as the Home Office, UKISA and the British Council ensuring that concerns and needs of UEA’s international students are well represented. The team also organises many social events and trips that run throughout the year to help students see and do activities that they might not have the chance to otherwise. All international students are kept up to date
with important news and advice through the International Student email list. Each week you should receive an e-bulletin with important and interesting information about current events on campus and in the local area. The team also has their new weekly updates section, which will provide students with the latest information from the International Student Advisory Team, including updates to visa regulations and new social programme events and ticket availability. The team can be found in the Dean of Students Offices on campus.
10 COMMENT AND OPINION
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concrete.opinion@uea.ac.uk
The Lives Of Others
The sex lives of public figures have always been scrutinised in the press, but with the personal lives of William Hague and Wayne Rooney dominating the summer press, Lauren O’Neill asks whether private lives and public interest should really go hand in hand.
If you have been following the press in the past month at all you will recall the two headlines that dominated the media at the tail end of this summer. Firstly, the story about William Hague sharing a room with his driver turned Special Adviser, Christopher Myers, for at least one night during the General Election campaign which caused much scandal and wicked whispers to ensue. Debates across all sorts of media platforms and, presumably, dinner tables across the country, were held with regards to the true nature of Mr. Hague’s sexuality. He himself denied any allegations of inappropriate conduct, going so far as to discuss the miscarriages incurred by his wife in perhaps a rather strident and frankly bizarre attempt to assert his ‘masculine straightness’. Whilst this story created much media scandal and intrigue, it was based rather solely on hearsay, with neither Mr. Hague nor Mr. Myers coming forth to admit an affair in a sordid kiss-and-tell spread. Fortunately for the tabloids the second big story in the press was
the news of Wayne Rooney’s costly indiscretions with £1,200-a-night call girl, Jenny Thompson, reportedly conducted whilst his wife, and newly appointed national treasure, Coleen, was pregnant with their now ten month old son, Kai. In this case there
“Why
should
it
matter to the average Manchester United fan whether Wayne has been unfaithful to his wife, as long as he keeps scoring goals ?” was a kiss-and-tell story full of juicy facts for the public to get their teeth into, provided by the lovely Ms. Thompson herself. Both of these media storms have started debates across the country regarding Mr. Hague and Mr.
Rooney’s careers, with some camps calling for Rooney to be stripped of his multi-million pound advertising campaigns, and Hague to resign from his position as Foreign Secretary. Others say that their private lives need no public interference and that essentially what people do in their own time is their own business. Frankly I am prone to agree with the latter. Afterall, why should it matter to the average Manchester United fan whether Wayne has been unfaithful to his wife, as long as he keeps scoring goals and doing the job that he is paid an obscene amount of money to do? Television personality, Amanda Lamb, said on Five’s ‘The Wright Stuff’ that Rooney should not be allowed to ‘get away with it’ and should be punished for being a loverat. But as infidelity is a moral crime, rather than a legal one, should he really be punished? Whilst one does not condone his behaviour in the slightest, one has to agree that he has not harmed anyone, except his own immediate family. Perhaps his punishment should be delivered by his wife and not by the public.
Above: William Hague and his now former special advisor Christopher Myers
As for Mr. Hague, one has to question the sensibility of sharing a room with an adviser and not thinking it would become public knowledge and create a media storm. However, this reporter thinks the only wrongdoing of Mr. Hague’s was that of sheer naivety and would assume it was an ill-thought out attempt to change public opinion of politicians as money-grabbing opportunists after the expenses scandal of last year. Furthermore,
if Mr. Hague was gay, it should not matter to the public as it would not render him unable to conduct his job in a professional manner. It is my belief that what a person does, be they a public figure or not, is their own personal business and, as long as it does not break the law, it should remain their personal business. But with the public’s hunger for scandal and schadenfreude it is doubtful that the media will ever see it that way.
The myth of journalistic integrity?
As a senior journalist for the News of the World goes public about the ‘several hundreds’ of unlawful investigations into public figures by the newspaper, Concrete looks at the moral implications of the phone-hacking scandal. Emma Parrott Comment and Opinions Editor
There appears to be something deeply ironic occurring in the media in recent months. With a seemingly daily drip of phonehacking stories and ‘victims’, the British media is at war, with itself. The problem of phone-hacking journalists is not a new one, indeed, Clive Goodman, News of the World Royal Editor, was arrested in 2006, charged with just that. The arrest came after a Scotland Yard investigation into how secret details of Prince William’s life were being leaked to the press. I in no way intend to defend the phone hackers, but the most scandalous of such leaks was a booking Prince William had made with a knee surgeon – saucy! The story has once again come
to the fore-front of the media with the publication of an article in the New York Times in September 2010. This is hardly surprising given the elements combined in the story: the Royal Family, the Murdoch empire and David Cameron’s new media aide, Andy Coulson.
“How far should a journalist go in the pursuit of information?”
Non-Murdoch papers have free reign to attack their Murdochowned counterparts, and left-wing papers can attack Cameron. It is a story which holds much appeal to
many people. However, despite much media coverage, there does seem to be a distinct lack of debate as to what the moralistic guidelines of a journalist should be. For example, former Labour minister Tessa Jowell recently came forward as a phone hacking victim, claiming that her personal phone was hacked into 28 times in 2006. Few would disagree that a journalist’s loyalty should lay with the public not the politicians, but how far should a journalist go in the pursuit of information? Furthermore, how much privacy should our politicians be awarded? It is my belief that if a politician, or any other public figure, is doing something which is detrimental to the public, then we have a right to know, and perhaps the means in which the information was obtained should be a secondary concern.
Above: Cameron’s media aide Andy Coulson was editor at the News of the World at the time of the allegations
The problem is if the information is personal, private, or even just downright mundane, honed into by self-important journalists desperate to keep
their stories in the paper. Such journalism is disgraceful and further damages a profession which, in all honesty, is in disgrace often enough already.
ISSUE 244
COMMENT AND OPINION 11
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Tuesday 28th September
The Debate: E-Books For the first time, in July 2010, the number of e-books sold on Amazon.com outpaced that of hardback books by 143 to 100. With this in mind, we ask, are e-books the only possible future for the humble book? FOR Emma Parrott Comment and Opinions Editor
The era of the e-book has arrived, and you are either with us, or you are forgotten in the dusty library of the past. People seem to imagine e-books as clinical, devoid of personality. I could not have agreed more until I used the iBook application on the iPad. Why, it was a portable library! Complete with bookshelves and front covers, colourful illustrations and turning pages. Simply minus the weight. Minus that irritating feeling of a book corner digging into your spine through your bag. Minus that sinking feeling when you look down at the books you want to take out of the library and realize
THE FACT BOX AGAINST you are going to have to heft them home on the 35 bus. The romantics amongst us may argue that it devalues the written word and that it robs us of Saturday afternoons spent trawling book shops and winter evenings in front of the fire with a good read. The reality, however, is that these are dying traditions. The only way for Shakespeare and Twain to keep up with us, is to modernize with us.
Ellen Steers
The first ever e-book was used in the Gutenberg Project in 1971. The first e-book readers were released in 1998 but were designed for a limited readership. Amongst authors opposed to ebooks is Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling. The iPad e-book application, iBook, is more popular than either social networking applications Facebook or Twitter, with 78% of iPad users having downloaded it.
Opinions Writer
I’m a romantic when it comes to books. I like breaking the spines and folding over page corners to make the book mine. The idea of an e-book hasn’t, and I doubt ever will appeal to me. And yet Amazon recently announced for the first time, in the last quarter, it has sold more e-books than printed books. Are we in such a technology obsessed society that we are going to lose our beloved paperbacks for pixilated screens? I understand the sudden love for the portable bookstore. Devices, such as the iPad or Amazon Kindle, make traveling all the more pleasant without a bag
of books to break your back with. But the introduction of the e-book shouldn’t be at the expense of the printed word.
“I’m a romantic when it comes to books”
I believe that there will always be those who, like me, will opt for the printed book. It’s a medium that is a source of comfort, much in the way that music lovers still cherish their vinyl records when digital music now has every advantage over them. Books, and records alike, will give us a sense of nostalgia in years to come, something that I don’t think technology will ever be able to achieve.
IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU FANCY PUTTING THE WORLD TO RIGHTS OVER AND THAT YOU WANT TO WRITE ABOUT, CONTACT COMMENT AND OPINIONS AT CONCRETE.OPINIONS@UEA.AC.UK AND GET YOUR VOICE HEARD.
12
FEATURES
www.concrete-online.co.uk
ISSUE 244
ISSUE 244
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Tuesday 28th September
concrete.features@uea.ac.uk
FEATURES 13
Freshers’ of 2010: one lesson you won’t want to miss So, you’ve taken the plunge and decided to pack up home and come to university, says Adam Fenwick. This can be a daunting experience, but it’s well worth it. The next three years will be some of the best years of your life. To get you up and running check out this quick guide to UEA, giving you the lowdown on campus life, living in Norwich and there’s even a spaghetti bolognese recipe too! The first thing you will need to get to grips with is living in a group with complete strangers. For most of you, it will be the first time living away from home and fending for yourself. Get accustomed with your room and kitchen and unpack all your things straight away to give you more time for settling in. Don’t be shy; everyone is in the same boat and feeling just as nervous as you. Get involved with your flat; be the first one to make an effort. There’s plenty of activities to get your flat bonding; try your luck at the pub quiz every Sunday in the Union Bar, or take a stroll around campus with them to get your bearings.
The student nightlife isn’t restricted to campus. There are plenty of clubs and bars in the city centre. Take the infamous number 25 or 35 bus from campus (around every 10 minutes) and get off at Prince of Wales Road - you’ll know which stop, because every student will get off. Check out the main strip of clubs at your own leisure. After closing time, head down the road opposite the Anglia Television building and you’ll find Havanas, a cool little nightclub with huge character - a nightclub with beds and a rooftop terrace can’t be bad! Thursdays at Mercy are a Fresher necessity. Most drinks are around £1.50 and it’s free entry until around 11pm. If you’re keen to take the party further, Pulse across the road is usually open until 6am. A few new places have opened up especially this year. Keep your eyes open for the new Lava Ignite on the Riverside complex - this huge nightclubs’ floor collapsed a few years back and has not yet been reopened - but rest assured: apparently it will be opening again very soon.
You’re a student; enjoy living on a budget. Set up a weekly budget and try to stick to it. Do weekly shops and always choose the supermarket own-brand products to save money. You can easily live off £15 a week when buying fresh ingredients and preparing meals that will last all week. Try this simple spag bol recipe: * A jar of bolognese sauce (it’s not cheating - it’s just cheaper). * 400-500g of mince meat, * Pack of spaghetti * Grated cheddar cheese to serve. 1) Brown the mince, then add the sauce. 2) Keep stirring, reduce the heat, and simmer for around 15 minutes. 3) At the same time, boil around 75g of spaghetti per person for 10 minutes. 4) Drain the spaghetti and transfer onto a plate with some of the mince and sauce. 5) Top with grated cheese.
Students get a bad reputation for binge drinking and their unsavoury sexual antics. But don’t let drinking ruin your night out - stay safe and stick with friends. Another student past-time, although a questionable one, is the one-night-stand. You never know what will happen on a night out, so it’s always best to carry a condom. Grab a bunch from the Freshers Fair; and they are also always available for free from UEA Nightline near the library. If you’re ever in trouble on campus, head to the UEA Security Lodge near the SportsPark, but as always, for emergencies, just dial 999.
Keep in mind some of these important dates over the first semester: SOCMART: Tuesday, 28th September, 2-7.30pm (LCR). Uni life doesn’t just revolve around late night binges and Jeremy Kyle marathons; take advantage of the Unions’ societies. Join a few societies that suit your interests - from cocktails to comedy. And if you’ve got a particular interest, why not start your own? SPORTSMART: Wednesday, 29th September, 11am-4.30pm (LCR). Joining a sports club is a great way to meet new people and get in shape. Buy your sports insurance card on the day, which allows you to join any club. FRESHERS’ FAIR: 11am-3pm (LCR). This is a chance for you to grab lots of student deals and offers from local businesses. Remember to pick up your free Domino’s pizza vouchers which entitle you to huge savings off your orders.
As a student, you’re automatically registered as a member of the UEA Students Union. Membership allows you to join societies and sports clubs. Make sure you check out SocMart and SportsMart to join these clubs and societies (bring your campus card and cash). Joining a sports club means you will need a Sports Association Membership. These are £30 and are available at SportsMart. This needs to be renewed every year and it allows you to join as many sports clubs as possible. But being a member of the UEA union is about so much more; use your right to vote in the student elections, take part in various union campaigns (for example, to lower tuition fees), or why not start your own club or society? Check out more union details at www.ueastudent.com
The UEA campus can seem quite large at first, but it’s actually one of the smallest campuses compared to other universities. When venturing around campus, it’s always handy to carry your student card. This allows you access to the library, Sportspark and your halls of residence, so don’t leave the flat without it. Within no time, you’ll know the campus like the back of your hand. But perhaps the places you’ll be spending most of your time are focused around the main square - the social hub of the UEA campus; this includes the Union Bars and the LCR (Union House). The main food outlets are Zest and Blend (the big glass building in the square); And ‘the Street’, opposite the side of the bar, includes various shops and services such as a book shop, banks, paper shops, a food outlet, laundrette, and, the student favourite, plenty of cash machines.
For a fresher, you have everything you need on campus. But grabbing the bus from campus takes you right into the heart of Norwich city centre. The Chapelfield Centre has three floors and a food court. If you want to get your fashion fix, always take your student card and ask for a discount. Venture away from the main shops and you’ll find the market square; a maze filled with all manner of items - this will be the main place to find many of your fancy dress outfits. The student favourite Primark is a two-floor house of the cheap and cheerful. Taking the bus all the way to the train station will lead you to the Riverside complex, a fairly modern street of restaurants and bars. There’s also a huge Odeon cinema (again - ask for a student discount). Opposite the train station is Carrow Road, home of the newly promoted Norwich City Football Club. Support the local team by going to a home game, it’s a great way for your flat to bond whilst having a great day out.
The Union Entertainment Team organises loads of events throughout the year. The basic schedule consists of a fancy dress LCR every Tuesday (usually £3.50adv), a club night LCR every Saturday (usually £4.50adv), and a pub quiz in the Union Bar every Sunday. The fancy dress and club night LCR’s are the nights you’ll remember the most as a Fresher. Check out the wall planner for the fancy dress themes, LCR gigs, Union film schedule, and loads of other events. Don’t worry if you didn’t grab any Freshers’ Week tickets; there’ll be plenty more events throughout the semester. And to save on money, keep a bag full of random clothes and accessories in your room; these will be the building blocks of your fancy dress wardrobe. You’ll be pleased when you decided to keep that pair of flashing sunglasses for ‘Day Glo Rave’. And don’t chuck away your old pyjamas!
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FEATURES
ISSUE 244
www.concrete-online.co.uk
concrete.features@uea.ac.uk
Q&A with Norwich Famous Faces “Nick Clegg most overrated public figure”, says Adrian Ramsay. Sam Lewis gives the Deputy Green Party Leader a grilling.
1) Earliest memory:
has taught me so far:
When my sister Anna was born – I was 3 years old and I remember feeling very excited!
Never take people for granted – life is much better when you genuinely listen to others and empathise with their situation.
A political journalist or green economist.
I would invite to dinner:
2) In another life I’d be: 3)The
best university was:
thing
about
Meeting so many like-minded people, getting involved in student campaigns and societies, and meeting my girlfriend at a student rally.
4)
The worst thing about university was: Exams!
5) Favourite book: Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
6) Favourite film: A Beautiful Mind
7)
Most important lesson life
8) Three people (dead or alive)
Shami Chakrabarti (Director of Liberty), Andy Parsons (comedian) and Tony Benn (former MP and anti-war campaigner).
9) Most treasured possession:
My bike – it’s old and battered but never lets me down.
10)
If I could pass a new law tomorrow it would be:
I’d bring in the Robin Hood Tax – a tax on high-risk transactions between big banks that would raise billions of pounds for public services, tackling poverty and building the green economy.
11) Guilty pleasure:
Swedish Glace ice cream and Booja Booja truffles.
Born and raised in Norwich and now living in the Unthank area, 29-yearold Adrian Ramsay is best known as a Green Party parliamentary candidate for Norwich South. Adrian is amongst the many famous faces to have studied at UEA, graduating in 2002 with a first class honours degree in Politics and Sociology, and staying on to complete a Masters in Politics. Whilst at UEA he was involved in the Peace and Environmental Society, and also set up the Green Party Society that is still going strong today. As a teenager Adrian had a keen interest in environmental issues, animal rights and global poverty, and after scouring party manifesto decided it was the Greens he agreed with most. Adrian became the youngest ever Green Norwich City Councillor representing the Nelson Ward, a position he has held since 2003.
During this time Green Party representation has flourished and elections earlier this month placed the Greens only two seats behind the Labour Party. This has placed them as the largest grouping of Green Councillors in the country. In 2008 he was elected the first ever Deputy Leader of the Green Party for England and Wales, and as a parliamentary candidate he has performed well in both 2005 and 2010 elections. This year Adrian polled fourth in the Norwich South constituency, doubling his vote share to 14.9%, and gaining the second highest result for the Greens. An ‘affordable Norwich’ is one of Adrian’s key priorities. Adrian campaigns for cheaper public transport, and free home insulation to reduce electricity bills. The abolition of tuition fees is also high on his political agenda. He expressed strong opposition to
to in my life I would recommend:
In the year 2050 I expect or hope to find:
12) Of all the places I have been 18) The Scottish island of Arran – the perfect place to get away from it all and relax in stunning scenery (when it’s not raining!).
13)
To a fancy dress party I would go as: Sherlock Holmes
14) Proudest moment: Being elected as national Deputy Leader of the Green Party in 2008.
15) Greatest fear:
That politicians will continue to evade their responsibilities to cut carbon emissions and we’ll be faced with runaway climate change.
16) Overrated public figure:
Nick Clegg – was overrated before the General Election, but his true colours are now showing.
17) My most overused word or phrase is:
“So much to do.”
I hope that no one is without food, water or shelter. I hope we’ve made the shift to a green economy, greater social equality, and more respect for the rights of animals.
19)
Thing I like most about Norwich is: The streets are full of character – the independent shops, market and historic buildings make it a unique city with lots to see and explore.
Charles Clarke, former Labour MP for Norwich South, in 2004 when the fees were first introduced. Adrian now campaigns for contributions to be spread more evenly via a graduate tax, with higher earners paying greater amounts. The future is certainly looking promising for the Green Party. Caroline Lucas’s win in Brighton has given the party much needed representation in the Commons. Support is at an all time high for the Greens, with membership increasing by around 50% in the last two years, and a big turnout at the party conference in Birmingham earlier this month. Adrian told Concrete Norwich is a strong place to continue expanding their voice in parliament, and that the student population have the potential to make a big impact for the Greens in the next general election.
Most overrated: Nick Clegg
20) say:
To a UEA student I would
Make the most of the social and academic opportunities. Get involved in the student societies they’ll open up a lot more doors than you’d imagine and will bring you life-long friendships.
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ISSUE 244
TURF 15
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Tuesday 28th September
Students Turned On By Switching Off Neil Jennings
Turf Reporter
UEA’s Eco-Power Rangers crack out the energy-saving lightbulbs, and the lycra.
Students living in halls will be encouraged to have fun in the dark this academic year by taking part in The Student Switch Off. Halls will compete against each other to come top of the class in energy efficiency and students can get hold of amazing rewards for cutting carbon. Prizes will be given out over the course of the year to encourage students to save energy and do their bit to tackle climate change. These prizes will specifically be given to students who sign up to become Eco-Power Rangers - residents who pledge to use their energy carefully and encourage their friends to do so as well. Prizes on offer to students include Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, tickets to the LCR and Odeon, NUS Extra cards and energy-saving gadgets. On top of all this, the
winning hall will receive an end-ofyear celebratory event. Other fun events such as film screenings and quizzes will also be held throughout the year. Last year the campaign was won by Suffolk Terrace who received a free screening of Prince of Persia at Odeon Riverside. Across all the halls last year, electricity usage was reduced by 11.3%, saving over 136 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. This fantastic saving was achieved thanks to the 403 students who signed up as EcoPower Rangers (over 11% of those in halls). So how do you help your hall to win this year? Easy, just take small actions to save energy in halls - switch lights and appliances off when not in use, put a lid on the pan when cooking, don’t overfill the kettle and put on an extra layer of clothing rather than turning up the thermostat.
To maximise your chances of winning some of these great prizes, join the Facebook group - ‘UEA Student Switch Off’ or check out http://www.studentswitchoff.org for more details. The Student Switch Off is part of the defra-funded, NUS-led campaign called ‘Degrees Cooler’ which is trying to encourage the University sector to improve its environmental performance. ‘Degrees Cooler’ is an environmental program running in 20 universities across the country. It is a big collaborative project between a number of student, university and environmental organisations. The whole program is focused on four areas: energy (use less with a higher percentage from renewables), food (eat less meat and more local ingredients), water (just use less) and transport (less flying, more walking, cycling and public transport).
Not Your Average Summer Camp Tim Marsh
Turf Reporter
To most, the words ‘climate camp’ may sound like a primary school science field trip, but the grassroots social movement is rapidly becoming one of the most effective activist networks in the country. The camp is held for one week a year in different locations around the country and each year focuses on a different issue. Climate Camp 2010 began under the cover of darkness on the 18th August, when 100 climate activists swooped onto the grounds of the RBS headquarters in Edinburgh a day early to outfox the police. RBS was chosen as the target for this year’s camp as it is the UK bank most heavily involved in financing fossils fuels and other irresponsible corporations around the world. Despite being bailed out by the public during the financial crisis (now 84% taxpayer owned), RBS continues to fund ecologically destructive projects around the world such as the Canadian tar sands. The decision to choose a bank as a target also represents how climate activists are broadening the climate change debate, challenging the root causes and not just the symptoms. To seriously tackle climate change and the scarcity of resources, there is a need to move beyond a system of
economic growth. The camp was quite literally outside the headquarters, and, by 2am on the first night, everyone was already busy setting up kitchens and compost toilets. Over the next few days hundreds more activists arrived to participate in the camp, not only taking direct action but showing a positive example of sustainable living and democracy in action. The camp operates through consensus decision making; in layman’s terms this essentially means there are no leaders and decisions are reached by coming to a consensus on whatever issues may arise. During the camp, responsibilities are shared by everyone, from pitching marquees and helping cook and prepare the food, to providing defence on the gates. One of the key aspects of the camp is to provide a space where people can learn and share skills that they have, and as a result there were many discussions and workshops throughout the week. Examples include media training, which focused on how to write a good press release, how to deal with difficult questions from journalists, and how to get your message across. The real focus of the camp, however, is to equip people to take nonviolent direct action, in small or large groups, to confront the root causes of climate change. The
following are a couple of examples: on the day before the main day of action, a group of around 150 activists crossed the bridge to the main HQ and nearly managed to occupy the building! While the main group were outside the building, a small group of people with catapults launched water balloons filled with molasses at the building. On the day of action itself, RBS operations in Edinburgh were ground to a halt. RBS HQ was closed for the day and branches and other buildings in town were blockaded and occupied. There were also street theatre performances and banner drops throughout the day. While most of the media’s response was negative, the camp managed to successfully highlight the ecologically destructive projects that RBS is involved in, and opened a forum for debate. Through taking direct action, a message was sent to corporate nasties that people do not stand for these investments. All in all the camp was an incredibly positive and inspiring week, and it is fair to say that the movement will continue to build and build. In the near future is the Crude Awakening in London, a mass demonstration relating to peak oil and climate change. For more information on climate camp and RBS investment head to http://climatecamp.org.uk/actions/ edinburgh-2010.
‘Greenwash Guerillas’ clean up RBS at this year’s Climate Camp in Edinburgh. (Photo: divinenephron)
16 LIFESTYLE
ISSUE 244
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Fresher’s week: Not only the strong survive Meningitis, Concrete eases any Fresher worries with the soothing voice of retrospect and experience. Freya Barry
Lifestyle writer
Everyone’s experience of Freshers’ Week will be different. For some it’s a chance to strike out on their own, but for others this can be terrifying. The important thing to remember is that because everyone else is new there’s room to feel scared or just a bit anxious. If you find socialising difficult, take your time, join some clubs and within no time you will be filling up your calendar with new activities and new people. If you find making new friends easy then that’s great too, just bear in mind you might spend time during the spring semester trying to avoid some of the friends you made in Freshers’ Week. When faced with the daunting task of cooking for oneself it’s easy to use Domino’s as your
main source of sustenance. If you are an inexperienced cook then don’t worry; in time you’ll become more confident. A few malfunctions are unavoidable, but keep trying and don’t resort too quickly to ready meals. Without sounding condescending, nutrition is important and you’ll need lots of fruit and vegetables to stave off the inevitable bout of fresher’s flu/prolonged hangover. If you are a budding chef, congratulations! You’re part of a minority at UEA that are continually sought out by those who manage to burn pasta. But don’t just show off your roast while your flatmates eat their burnt cheese on toast, give them a hand! Helping out a flatmate by offering to cook dinner with them will help boost their confidence if they seem to be struggling. Nightlife at UEA doesn’t have to begin and end at the LCR; however,
Susanna Wood
Lifestyle writer
it is a great place to meet new people and listen to great or awful music depending, on taste. Get tickets for the first fancy dress LCR and see if it takes your fancy, if not, Norwich has a variety of pubs and cafes to peruse during the week.
University is a fabulous opportunity for a fresh start. So, take it easy, check out all the fabulous events on offer, and above all, enjoy yourself! Before you know it you’ll be a decrepit second year.
If I’m boring then it’s because I’m a boring person not because of what I believe”, Tom quips, emphasising that his faith, whilst being a big part of him, is not all-defining. James Powell, a postgraduate Christian (Baptist) focuses on similar things when describing the impact of his faith on his first year. During Fresher’s Week he tried to get to know people before mentioning that he was a Christian, so that they
could get to know him without any preconceived notions. So don’t worry about Fresher’s; whatever your personal beliefs, everyone is in the same boat and no one worth getting to know will judge you by your faith. Learn from James and Tom and go with the flow. Relax, have fun, and if inclined, take advantage of everything going on at the Christian Union.
Student’s lifestyle labels: being Christian Lifestyle explores a side of university life that is often overlooked but is, nevertheless, prominent. Hasina Allen
Lifestyle writer
For a Christian, the first year of university, especially the first few weeks, can feel like an extra challenge. The student lifestyle most commonly portrayed in our national media is comprised solely of: a complete lack of responsibility, reckless spending, binge drinking and sex. Needless to say, these aspects of student lifestyle conflict heavily with Christian morality. These elements of university life are often presented as a compulsory extracurricular activity that everyone takes part in, and can sometimes create pressure to conform to attitudes that do not agree with a faith. Or, perhaps worse, faith can be used as a label, which allows people to stereotype others. Rather than finding university life a challenge to his Christianity,
Tom Gegg, an Environmental Geography and International Development student, found that being at university actually stimulated his faith. University provided Tom with the opportunity to meet people his age with the same beliefs, something that had been more difficult to do at home, and he met some of his best friends here through the Christian Union. With a pint resting on his knee, Tom told me that whilst being a Christian influences certain
‘No one worth getting to know will judge you by your faith’
choices he makes it doesn’t hold him back in any way. “People think that the foundation of the Christian faith is boring and about not having fun, but that’s not true.
a menace not to be feared
At university, people are ill constantly - the chorus of coughs in lectures during week three is testament to that. If you are feeling particularly bad, however, do not just discard your symptoms as a case of ‘fresher’s flu’ or a bad hangover. University can, unfortunately, be a breeding ground for other, more dangerous ailments. Meningitis is one of those ailments, an inflammation of the lining of the brain, which can lead to blood poisoning (septicaemia). It’s uncommon, but students are prone to the disease as it is easily spread in places like halls. 1 in 4 under 25s acts as unintentional carriers of the disease; needless to say, it gets around. Early signs of the disease mean it is often mistaken for flu: sickness, fever and aching are common. However, these symptoms tend to get worse very quickly and can be accompanied by a bad headache, cold extremities, a stiff neck, extreme photosensitivity and a distinctive rash. A famous test is to press a glass tumbler against the rash; a septicaemic rash will not fade under pressure, thus leaving it visible through the tumbler. However, the rash isn’t always present early on, if at all. In fact, all the symptoms can be unreliable; trust your instincts and seek medical help if unsure. If you were vaccinated against meningitis C at school, be aware that there is no vaccine for group B bacteria. This accounts for 80% of meningococcal disease cases, so you can still get meningitis if you were vaccinated. Regardless, it’s one injection that could still save your life, so if you haven’t had it then it is worth contacting the Medical Centre. However stupid you may feel, contact the Medical Centre (01603 251600) if you are worried about yours or someone else’s symptoms, especially if they are getting worse quickly. Calling NHS Direct is a good idea, and don’t hesitate to call 999. Meningitis is dangerous, and will always be treated seriously.
ISSUE 244
Alone in the Irish Wilderness This summer Tom Hunt experienced the luck of the Irish by cycling over a thousand miles without suffering a single puncture! Camping out in the wild, however, proved less fortunate... After cycling many miles, from dawn to dusk, over rough terrain and through busy city traffic, a campsite with showers, washing machines and a toilet is a blessing. Yet, a blessing the cash-strapped student can’t afford every day. Consequently, most nights spent touring Ireland by bike involved pitching up at any suitable site – beneath trees verging on picnic areas, perched atop forested hills, or deep in the undergrowth. Sleeping out in the wild isn’t easy, but it can be rewarding. Sitting back to enjoy a view no hotel window can offer while you cook a simple dinner on a little gas stove is charming. Knowing it’s free is even better. Such was the case having sneaked into the Deer Park west of Sligo at dusk. Perched upon a wooded hill, the landscape dropped away, revealing a glimmering lough (Irish for loch) framed by rugged mountains on one side, while on the other lay Sligo itself and beyond that the open sea, swallowing up the day’s sun. In spectacular fashion, a shower cascaded down, creating a monstrous rainbow to frame the scene. Only metres away, at the highest point of the promontory, an ancient stone circle stood silently by. Few places could offer a more suitable location to put up a tent. Of course, there are problems with this method of camping. Even in mid-summer, nights in rural Ireland are chillingly cold and rain is a constant concern. The multitudes of livestock that roam the fields throw up a din through the darkness, and the lack of traffic on Irish roads, while a relief to eager cyclists, does encourage the ‘donut’ phenomenon. Donut-drivers converge on crossroads and other quiet spots of empty space to leave spiralling tyre-marks burnt into the tarmac. When settling down under canvas on the edge of an empty gravel car park, therefore, expect to be spattered with stones at some point in the night as an engine revs and roars around you, sending its driver spinning and skidding in a loop. By morning, the tell-tale signature of a donutter will be singed into the ground. The most serious concern, however, are groups of travellers, to whom Irish landowners do not take
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kindly. Farmers’ fields are peppered with posts warning any trespassers to steer clear. Open land may be inviting to campers but the best bets are public parks, where you can shelter from view in your own space. Being in Ireland, an evening spent in a traditional local pub is, of course, a must. Here you will generally find good food, hearty drink and welcome company on all sides of the country. On reaching the edge of the Ring of Kerry, the largest of the mountainous peninsulas in the south-west of Ireland, a lively bar beckoned, a wonderful place to wait out the sunset, amidst the babble of native natter. Unlike in
“Farmers’ fields
are peppered with posts warning any
trespassers to steer clear.”
Britain, Irish pubs remain robust against the recession, combining everything you’d expect from your local and more, attaching offlicenses and groceries, so that even the smallest hamlet nestles a pub at its heart. Eventually, the comforting glow had to be regretfully abandoned for the cold, lonely outdoors. A Gaelic football pitch on the outskirts of Waterville became the only option for camping under a darkening sky.
The site seemed promising enough, until the middle of the night. Then, quite literally, a travelling circus descended. Glaring headlights, colourful, flashing bulbs and funfair fanfare blared out as lorry after lorry backed in, ripping apart the peace of the Irish countryside. Voices were raised above the racket and dogs let loose around the field. In this situation the tents have to come down and the site be abandoned, as any refuge is sought. Two in the morning can be a trying time to find a hasty back exit out of a walled playing field, so it is best to scout out the area before settling, unless you want to end up squatting behind an equipment shed waiting for a far-off dawn in the rain. Despite the occasional set-back, camping in wild Ireland is possible as long as the site has cover, public access and an alternative nearby. Even then, after a few nights the most basic of camping grounds will be warmly welcomed.
Tanzanian Trees for Change Anna Clayton
Travel writer
It is becoming more frequent to hear of someone volunteering for an international organisation with the motive of ‘saving the world’. Often people head off expecting to be the ones spreading the good ideas, rather than listening to those of the communities being worked with. Village-to-Village is a small Tanzanian organisation working within Uchira, a large settlement located on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. The majority of its residents are farmers, each facing a bleak future as their main water source, Kilimanjaro’s glacier, disappears. The area has started to resemble a desert during the driest months of the year, leaving people with poor prospects. By helping organise events which included games and presentations, this writer was able to gather together members of the community to discuss issues affecting them all. This allowed people to share their thoughts, creating an environment brimming with ideas and enthusiasm. One man who came to stand out above all in terms of self-motivation was a smallholder farmer, James Mvungi, a well-respected villager.
James believed that the felling of trees within Uchira appeared related to repeated bad harvests and other environmental problems. By approaching members of his community to discuss his worries, he was able to instigate the formation of an environmental committee that took it upon itself to set up a small-scale tree nursery, the saplings from these were provided to environmentally aware households, thereby improving the livelihoods of the villagers. Ultimately, without local input, the project would not have been as successful. James is an example of many inspirational individuals working throughout Africa, trying to improve their surrounding environment and the lives of others. These cases are becoming increasingly noted and are playing an important role within Tanzania.
Wonders of Washington Matthew Taylor
Travel writer
Washington DC is a great city for politics and tourism. Visits are usually motivated by a desire to experience the political aspect of the US capital. For instance, the over-riding function of the district of Colombia is to run the federal government. As a result, the city is swarming in politicians and their families, living alongside some of the most poverty-stricken areas in America. It is no surprise, then, that the HBO series The Wire was shot in West Baltimore. Suffice it to say that D.C. isn’t a casual clubbing city. Despite this, what is good about the American capital is genuinely amazing. The Washington Mall holds some of the more impressive monuments to former leaders outside a totalitarian regime. The Lincoln Memorial is one of the few statues prevalent in global media that doesn’t look smaller in real life, which could be a testament to accurate camera work, rather than the amazing effect that seeing the marble likeness of the sixteenth U.S. President towering over you actually has. Anyone who has seen the Vietnam and Korea
War memorials will appreciate that Washington is a city built to impress. Moving to museums, those owned by the Smithsonian Institute surrounding the Mall are worth a trip by themselves, including exhibitions on everything from the Apollo missions to the first US Flag. They each require a day to fully appreciate, so extensive is their remit. No tourist experience would be complete without mementoes, and at this D.C. excels, selling everything from Republican ties to Obamathemed underwear. Either of these would be a fitting memento to sum up the capital of the land of the free and home of the brave.
18 FOOD
Quick Chicken Fajitas If you have ever typed ‘fajita recipes’ into an internet search engine, you will have soon realised that there are hundreds of recipes. Many require you to marinade the meat, usually for between 1-24 hours! We at Concrete Food realise that most of you, especially in your first week at university, will simply not have the time to spend ages cooking dinner. That is why we have devised this simple recipe that uses shop bought flavourings that are added straight to pan. Gordon Ramsay may not endorse it, but it will be full of flavour, filling and your parents will be pleased to know you have ‘gone out on a good meal’.
Ingredients:
• 1 chicken breast, cut into strips • Fajita spices (seasoning mix, paste, or sauce. There are various brands around, none will be bad, so experiment to find the one you prefer) •Packet of flour tortilla wraps • Then vegetables including but not limited to: • Peppers, cut into strips (choose colours to taste, red are sweetest, green are more bitter.) • Carrot, cut into strips • Mushrooms, can either be thinly sliced or roughly chopped • Courgette, cut into strips • Red onion, chopped finely Optional accompaniments can include: Guacamole Sour cream Salsa Cheese Lettuce
Method:
1) Cut chicken into roughly even sized strips and slice vegetables up into strips. 2) Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan on medium heat. 3) Add the sliced chicken and begin to fry, turning the strips until no pink colour remains, this should take about 3-4 minutes. 4) Now add the sliced vegetables and fry for a further 3-4 minutes, moving the contents of the pan round to prevent anything burning. 5) Add your seasoning/paste/sauce and stir round for a further 1-2 minutes. 6) Heat up the tortilla wraps in the microwave (this is normally for about 10secs per wrap but check the packet for exact time). 8) Serve with your chosen accompaniments and enjoy!
Concrete Food’s guide to rolling the perfect fajita
Place filling in centre of fajita, then fold sides in.
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From the top, begin to roll down
Continue rolling until the top reaches the bottom
Slice in half, and enjoy!
Eight tips for kitchen survival! - Read instructions on the back of food packets thoroughly.
- Check dates on food, green cheese is not good!
- Find a good place in the kitchen area to leave all your pots and pans.
- Don’t put any metal cutlery in the microwave.
- Try to clean up after yourself as much as possible, your cleaner is there twice a week but aim to make it a habitable place for the rest of the week.
- Microwaveable plates are a must.
- Whenever cooking something under the grill, watch it! We have heard endless stories of setting food under the grill alight, from fish and chips to scotch pancakes. - Grab yourself a shelf in the fridge, otherwise you will undoubtedly find it full of beers soon.
concrete.food@uea.ac.uk
You’re going to have to use it eventually... Concrete Food’s guide to the halls’ combi-ovens. Christine O’Sullivan Food Writer
By now this is probably a good picture of what’s going on in your Freshers’ Week: - You’ve been out every night. - You’ve ordered at least one takeaway with some flatmates. - You’ve spoken to so many random people in the LCR, most of whose names you’ll have forgotten. - You’ve cooked your entire flat a fabulous 3 course meal. Hold on! Perhaps ‘made a pot noodle’ sounds more realistic, eh? No need to worry! We’ve all been freshers before. This reporter’s first night in halls consisted of the LCR and getting home to cook a chilled pizza in the microwave that ended up suitable for frisbee. Not a great start! So, here’s a quick guide to the microwave oven.
Microwave Function: Your microwave-oven is on microwave function the majority of the time, so just pop the food in, set the time, press the start button and voila, you’ll have food. Oven Function:
Press the oven function until the correct temperature is displayed and press the start button in order to pre-heat. Once preheated put the food in, set the time and press the start button again. Defrost Function:
Defrosts that food you’ve left in the freezer for ages! Choose the type of food you have and it’s weight and the microwave works out the time and power needed.
ISSUE 244
Editorial
Hello, and welcome to this academic year’s first edition of Concrete. It has been a busy summer of news in and around the UEA, and as ever at Concrete, we have endeavoured to bring you the issues that matter to you, the student. Whether it be an introduction to life at UEA, the latest sports reports and news stories, or music and film reviews, Concrete will be the place to keep abreast of student life this year. Concrete, of course, cannot run without the input of its readership. Whether you find your forte in news, politics, music or sport, make sure you visit our stall at Socmart today in the LCR and sign up to get involved. Alternatively,
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email Danny Collins on concrete.editor@ uea.ac.uk. Finally, I am obliged to give a very warm and grateful thank you to my sub-editors who have put in much time and effort to producing this first issue of the paper. Have a great fortnight,
Danny
Write for YOUR student newspaper. Concrete is UEA’s Independent Newspaper, and prides itself on providing opportunities for students to show case their writing. If you have an issue you want to report on, email us on: Concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk
PO BOX 410, NORWICH, NORFOLK, NR4 7TJ 01603 593466
Concrete is published by UUEAS Concrete Society ©2010 Concrete. ISSN 1351-2773 Letters should be addressed for the attention of the Editor, Danny Collins. Letters must include contact details, but we will consider anonymous publication. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity as necessary. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Publisher or Editor. No part of this newspaper may be reproduced through any means without the express permission of the Editor, Danny Collins. Printed by Archant.
Jessica Debba
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Keeping your things safe: At Endsleigh we know how important your valuables are to you, so here are some handy hints to help keep them safe. 1.Never leave personal belongings unattended or clearly on display – mobiles, wallets, MP3 players, laptops etc, are all prime targets for “smash and grab” theft. This includes leaving items in cars, whether the car is locked or not. 2. Even if you are leaving your room for a few moments remember to use your window and door locks – why give opportunist thieves easy access to your stuff? Most thefts occur from unlocked rooms. 3. Mark your valuables in a distinctive way so they can be easily identified, such as using a UV pen to detail your house number and postcode. 4. Be aware of who is around when you’re on the phone or sending a text – if your phone is stolen, call your network straight away to immobilise the handset and prevent your phone being used. 5. Bicycle theft has become big business for thieves, particularly on a university campus. Making sure you always use a heavy duty lock and secure the frame of the bicycle, not just the front wheel. 6. Try not to carry large sums of cash or flash wallets around openly as this will invite attention from potential thieves, and try to use cashpoints during the day rather than at night. Similarly try not to keep large sums of cash in your room when you are not there. 7. Keep bags closed, zipped and buckled at all times and if someone grabs it, let it go, your valuables can be replaced. 8. Don’t leave notes on your door saying you have gone away and how long you will be as this draws attention to an empty room full of valuables. 9. If you are using your MP3 player, change the white headphones for darker more discreet set to avoid unnecessary attention. 10. Avoid putting yourself at the risk of fraud or ID theft by keeping your personal documents stored safely; otherwise if you no longer need them make sure you dispose of them safely using a shredder. Don’t forget to check your privacy settings on social networking sites.
Website: www.endsleigh.co.uk/university
Telephone Number: 0800 783 5499
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concrete.editorial@uea.ac.uk
UEA Students Conquer the Atlantic Aboard Royal Navy Warship After a fantastic summer deployment in Gibraltar, Officer Cadet Andrew Livesey explains why joining the University Royal Naval Unit will be the best thing you do this year. All around you the horizon extends as far as the eye can see, and the hot sun beats down on the back of your neck as you hurtle at twenty three knots through the seas aboard HMS Raider. This is the story of ten of your fellow students, who this summer took command of a Royal Navy warship. The crew comprised of UEA and Cambridge students who, as part of the University Royal Naval Unit (URNU), a University society, travelled almost 3,000 nautical miles across the Atlantic Ocean to Gibraltar and back. At twenty metres long, with a twin propelled, V12 diesel engine, HMS Raider generates as much power as two Bugatti Veyrons! This summer’s deployment enabled
students to practice the seamanship, navigation and leadership skills they learnt at weekly drill nights during term time. Whilst aboard the ship, students perform all the tasks that keep her running: manning the radar and charts, taking control of the ship as ‘Officer of the Watch’ and even performing engine checks. ‘Man overboard exercises’ and hosting a high ranking Commodore with a traditional Navy cocktail party were just some of the highlights of this year’s deployment. Whilst in Gibraltar, students also attended a prestigious summer ball at HMS Rooke - a Hollywood themed, wine-fuelled extravaganza with performances from incredible live bands.
The URNU organises trips throughout the year aboard HMS Raider, with destinations around the UK East and South coasts and European Channel ports, including London, Dover and Antwerp. The aim is to educate high calibre undergraduates about the role of the Royal Navy in today’s world. It is not about recruiting students into careers within the armed forces - there is no commitment to join the forces after university. The URNU presents students with unparalleled opportunities to get paid to partake in a myriad of activities: sailing, hiking, gliding, kayaking, parachuting, flying camps and more. The opportunity to attain City and
Guilds awards in leadership and invaluable Royal Yachting Association powerboat and theory qualifications is also available. Best of all, the URNU wants you! This autumn we are recruiting a new intake of enthusiastic, dedicated and committed students to join us. If you think you have the stamina to keep up with the vast amount of fun we have, then get in touch. Please visit: http://www.srcf.ucam.org/ curnu and click on “Join” to register your interest; or email a.livesey@uea.ac.uk with any enquiries.
Are YOU Made For Sharing? To celebrate the launch of their new ‘Extra Crunchy’ range, Walkers Crisps are reaching out to budding film students (and crisp fans) with their short-film competition, ‘Take One, Pass It On’; a unique project which aims to create a ‘never-ending’ bag of Walkers crisps. Whether you are using a mobile phone camera, webcam or camcorder, the premise is simple: find the most fun and creative way to share your Extra Crunchy, and upload it to the website. The best of the bunch will be randomly edited together to create a string of snack-happy people passing their bag from one to another! There is also the chance to win some fantastic prizes, including £1,000 in cash, a Sony Handycam, the opportunity to star ‘next’ to Lionel Richie and, of course, an abundance of free crisps! These will be awarded to creative minds that find the most unusual location, most original share, funniest share and best fancy dress.
For more information, or to submit your 10 second video clip, visit: www. walkers.co.uk/extracrunchy.
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Spain’s Raging Bull Charges On Sports Editor Chris King analyses the key talking points around this summer’s controversial World Cup in South Africa. While thousands of column inches have been devoted to this summer’s World Cup, held on the African continent for the �irst time in the competition’s history, not all the coverage and comment has been overwhelmingly positive. Peripheral issues such as the atmosphere in the grounds, as well as transport and policing outside them, distracted from what should have been the tournament’s primary focus: the football. On the pitch, whilst Spain’s triumph was lauded throughout the world as a triumph for socalled ‘sexy football’, the dearth of goals in the group stages, plus the failure of many of the more highpro�ile sides in the competition means it can never be regarded as a classic, in the mould of Mexico ‘86. Yet for all its faults, there were some positives to come out of the quadrennial bout between the world’s footballing heavyweights:
GOOD • South Africa - Perhaps it didn’t bring all the rewards that were hoped, but the World Cup showcased a fully united South African nation, and once again demonstrated the extraordinary power of football to bring people together. • Ghana - Arguably everyone’s favourite team, Ghana were desperately unlucky not to progress further and cruelly denied by Luis Suarez’s shameless handball. Ghana won themselves admirers across the world thanks to their grit, determination, skill and sheer likeability. • Diego Forlan - Hopefully proved the remaining doubters wrong with his incredible goalscoring display, and showed that he is in fact worldclass. • Germany’s kids - The raw, explosive talents of Sami Khedira, Jerome Boateng, Thomas Muller and of course the mercurial Mesut
Ozil were a joy to watch. Imagining where this German team will be in four years time is nothing short of terrifying for any England fan. • Spain’s ‘tiki-taka’ passing - The Dutch may have invented ‘Total Football’, but the Spanish have made it their own with the unbeatable ‘tiki-taka’ playing style of short passing and impeccable movement. This is why the Spanish won and why they may just continue to do so.
Spanish mid�ield icon Andres Iniesta
BAD • England fail again - Overpaid, overrated stars, an expensive foreign coach unable to motivate his charges or pick the right team, stultifying draws against relative international minnows, and a hammering from a far superior side whom we were supposedly able to beat. Sound familiar? It should. • France - The disloyalty and discord of players such as Nicolas Anelka may have hit the headlines, but it was quite unsurprising given coach Raymond Domenech’s incomprehensible ineptitude and staggering ability to hang onto a job in the absence of any notable managerial ability. A total mess, and nothing short of humiliating. • Dutch dirty tactics - The Netherlands did excellently in reaching the �inal, and despite not having the same �lair as the Cruyffinspired teams of the 1970s, showed a �irst-class work ethic and no small
So You Think You Know? Hockey Sports Correspondent Harry Fish presents an introduction to one of UEA’s most popular sports clubs, Hockey With a new year just began at UEA, many sports clubs are getting “back in the swing”, with UEA Hockey being no different. Now boasting to be one of the most popular clubs at UEA, the club has four men’s teams, playing a range of standard to suit all players from beginners’ right up to experienced players. This year, president, Barnabus Abraham, will be hoping to go one step better with the 1st XI, who narrowly missed out on promotion in the BUCS league last year. With so many teams within the club, there is always a great opportunity to get some game time in. Last year’s second and third teams participated in local leagues last year, and will be joined by the new fourth team this season. The club will de�initely be pushing forward this year to “show the teams in Norfolk that we are one of the highest quality teams around”. Matches are always on a
Saturday or Wednesday afternoon, so anyone can get involved around their studies. In addition to this, there is training which takes place twice a week, all year round. There are also further opportunities with the indoor league, to assure there is hockey going on all year round! If you do join the club, you will certainly �ind that there is enough hockey to keep even the keenest of individuals satis�ied with what
“We are one of the highest quality
teams around.”
UEA Hockey has to offer! There is also a very strong team spirit throughout the club, with the men’s and women’s teams mixing for various socials and events, such as the annual dinner and upcoming “Mike Covell meningitis
Last year’s UEA Men’s Hockey 1sts narrowly missed out on promotion
fundraiser”. These are far from the only social opportunities, with the most regular opportunity being post-game on Saturday where all the teams mix to re�lect on the day’s play along with a few drinks before the LCR. Whether you have played hockey before or are simply
looking for a new sport to try, there is plenty of opportunity to be had with UEA Hockey Club, from the most serious of players, down to people who just want to play for fun and enjoy the social side of the club. UEA Hockey will be present at SportsMart and trials are being held on Friday, 5-7 PM.
measure of skill in dispatching Dunga’s Brazil, before reverting to dirty, cynical, disgusting attempts to stop a superior Spanish side play football. Not what you’d expect from a capable international side. • Lack of goals - The group stages saw a dearth of exciting games, but even more frustrating was an almost unfathomable lack of goals. Was it the Jabulani ball, were the players tired, or was it just one of those tournaments?
A de�ining memory of South Africa
Alonso fires warning shot at title rivals Fernando Alonso produced another spectacular display at the Singapore Grand Prix to take a third win in �ive races. The Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber �inished second and third respectively, maintaining their strong footing in the Formula 1 World Championship, while McLaren’s Jenson Button was fourth. Alonso has now taken two straight victories in his Ferrari, both from pole position, and Sunday’s triumph lifted him into second place in the drivers’ standings behind Australian Webber. There was disappointment for Lewis Hamilton who, as he did at Monza, suffered suspension failure after a collision with another driver, Webber the man to make contact on this occasion. Elsewhere, impressive drives from Robert Kubica and Felipe Massa saw them carve through the �ield to earn points �inishes. The next race is in Japan in a fortnight.
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Update: East Anglia Matt Scrafton Sports Correspondent
Norwich City suffered a setback in an otherwise impressive start to their season with a 2-0 home defeat to Hull City. Two goals in the last seven minutes, from Robert Koren and Tom Cairney, earned the Humberside club a first away win in 18 months. The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for a Norwich team which had dominated the game, and in particular the second half, where Hull stopper Matt Duke was forced into a series of eye-catching saves. It’s been a stellar return to the second tier of English football for Paul Lambert and his charges, who proudly sit fourth in the Championship table, six points behind high-flying QPR. Former Norwich City striker Dion Dublin has backed the Canaries to
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keep up their recent run of form, which has seen them lose just twice in eight games. “They’ve done well and that is what the fans wanted to see”, said Dublin, speaking during the promotion of his band’s new single, his latest venture since retiring from football in 2008.
“They’ve given themselves every chance to do something again this year...if you can keep giving away points at home to a minimum, then Norwich have got a great chance”. Next up for the Canaries is a home game against Leicester, who will arrive at Carrow Road rooted to the bottom of the Championship table. East Anglian rivals Ipswich Town kept the pressure up on the leaders with an impressive 1-1 away draw at Scunthorpe. After going behind to a first-half header from David Mirfin, halftime substitute Jaime Peters levelled for the Tractor Boys after 57 minutes. A tactical shake-up by manager Roy Keane following the Scunthorpe goal saw
concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk
Ipswich fight back into the game; following this result Town sit fourth in the Championship standings, maintaining the pressure on league leaders QPR. They remain unbeaten away from home this season.
Teenage starlet Connor Wickham’s impressive performances of late have been the catalyst for his first international call up to the England U19 side, following the winner he netted for the U17s at the European Championship Final this summer. In the third round of the League Cup last Wednesday, Town picked up a fine victory on the road, goals from Tamas Priskin and Gareth McAuley enough to see off a strong Millwall side 2-1 at the New Den. Roy Keane has moved to strengthen his squad with the loan signing of 20-year-old Tottenham midfielder Jake Livermore on a three-month deal.
Tour of Britain comes to the city The Tour of Britain arrived in Norwich as part of the Kings Lynn to Great Yarmouth leg of the race. Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins took part in the event, which finished in London on Saturday 18th September.
The Kings Lynn-Great Yarmouth route, the sixth stage of the tour, was won by Columbian Andrei Greipel of Team HTC in a time of 4:09:05. Fellow HTC rider Michael Albasani was the overall winner, leading home by over a minute.
Fry joins City’s winning team Celebrity Canary Stephen Fry talks to Concrete Sport about joining the board at Norwich and his hopes for the season Renowned intellectual. Celebrated comedian. Best-selling author. And, now, the newest member of Norwich City’s board of directors. Stephen Fry’s global popularity has carried him far and wide during a varied career which has involved spells in television and stage acting, stand-up comedy and panel-show hosting, an increasingly expansive collection of book titles, one of the most-followed accounts in Twitter history and a taxi-tour of the USA. This summer, though, Fry came home, finally accepting a role as a director at Norwich City’s football club. “[Joint majority shareholders] Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones slowly prodded me with suggestive enquiries until the penny dropped and I proffered my services,” the 53-year-old said in an exclusive interview with Concrete Sport. Fry, who confessed that “as a child I mostly loathed all forms of sports, being so uncoordinated and hopeless at them”, is a lifelong
City supporter, pointing out that “growing up in Norfolk it was natural to support them. There’s something deep and visceral and personal about it. “NCFC is one of the truly great exemplars of a true community club,” he continues. “It connects to the whole city in all kinds of ways. When the Canaries do well it
“When the Canaries do well it brightens
everyone in Norwich”
brightens everyone in Norwich and Norfolk. The scenes of celebration when we went up in 2004 had to be seen to be believed. Every shop window, every pub, every street corner proudly flew the yellow and green.” His confirmation as an official member of the club’s hierarchy, though, is likely to provide a
significant boost to City’s global popularity. Fry boasts one of the world’s most influential Twitter accounts, with over a million followers waiting to pounce on every link he posts within minutes of its appearance, and an enormous fan-base across the Englishspeaking world and beyond thanks to his widely-travelled broadcasting adventures. When asked about his function within the club, Fry is less specific, almost to the point of not being entirely sure. “‘Ambassador’ is the word that is most often bandied about,” he remarks, “Which means I dine off a gold plate, have a lot of dinners and end up with an automatic knighthood. Plus, you have to call me Your Excellency. “No, but shush. Noising abroad the virtues of supporting Norwich, reminding people that it exists, is an exciting, fun and friendly club that welcomes all... [The role will involve] raising the club’s profile, occasionally pumping friendly
billionaires for money.” Perhaps most importantly, Fry shares the ambitions of the club’s current ownership and has set lofty targets for Norwich to reach in the years ahead. Reminding us of his indepth knowledge of the sport, Fry observes that Norwich’s “rightful
European-years were denied us in the aftermath of the Heysel Stadium tragedy” and hopes that by the time the next World Cup gets underway, City can be “somewhere in the middle of the Premiership table but starting realistically to vie for a place in Europe.”
Simon Partridge
Sports Editors Rob Schatten (left) and Chris King with Stephen Fry
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Tuesday 28th September
UEA Sportspark: The Inside Track Sports Editor Rob Schatten presents the essential guide to East Anglia’s premier sporting venue, right on your doorstep Ten years on from its construction, the Sportspark at UEA continues to hold an important position as one of East Anglia’s most advanced and complete sporting facilities. Over the past six months, Concrete Sport has put the Sportspark through its paces, making use of the full range of facilities on offer and experiencing some of the personalised coaching that the Sportspark makes available for its users. One of the most impressive features of the Sportspark is the gym, now complete with a newlyadded weights room. On entry the user finds dozens of cardiovascular machines – treadmills, rowing machines, two types of exercise bikes, steppers and so forth – as well as a comprehensive collection of weights machines, with an extensive array of stations working every muscle group in the body. For those who prefer their own routines, the Sportspark saw completion last year of an extension to the gym which allowed an expansion of its collection of free weights, complete with the usual selection of benches and squat stations. In total, there are
over 80 stations to choose from. If you’re new to the Sportspark or the gym, and, you’re unsure of which of this daunting array of machinery you ought to be using, fear not. Personal trainers are available to give advice at all times, and Concrete was able to enjoy the benefits of a one-to-one consultation in which an advisor assessed this reporter’s (limited) capabilities and designed a personalised workout routine. That’s one less excuse to get fit already! Of course, not everyone enjoys the idea of an intense, punishing session in the gym. Many feel more at ease with a few laps of the pool. Here, too, the Sportspark has an ace to play, in the form of an ultramodern 50 metre Olympic-sized swimming pool. The pool, usually split in half during the day by a fully moveable central boom, features an adjustable floor as its party piece. This allows staff to alternate between two 25m pools with one shallow section and one set of lanes, or for competitions or swimming club sessions, a single, 50m space with the floor lowered to facilitate diving starts. With spacious
Greg Mann
changing rooms and a large seated viewing area, the pool is capable of hosting regional and national competitions – and frequently does, with a national age-group gala taking place as recently as last year. Besides these the Sportspark boasts many other indoor sporting facilities. The Barclays Arena, large enough for three basketball courts or 12 badminton courts, has pullout seating and the necessary equipment to entertain all number of different activities, from korfball to ultimate frisbee. The seating availability means this space can also play host to major events, including a GB Volleyball international against Turkey here last year and a more recent visit from the Robot Wars road show. Three hard-floored dance studios provide the space for UEA’s martial arts and dance clubs, with outside instructors often bringing their classes to the Sportspark to take advantage of the studios. There are five squash courts and further multi-sport availability in the yearold Haydn Morris Hall and a twostorey climbing wall; work starts next month on a new, Olympicstandard gymnastics facility to add another string to the Sportspark’s bow. Although many users may prefer indoor sports during the cold winter months, the same cannot be said for those intrepid souls who continue to use the Sportspark’s collection of outdoor facilities all year round. As well as its four 5-a-side and six 7-a-side football pitches, the complex is currently overseeing the construction of three more larger-sized pitches using thirdgeneration astro-turf technology. All this sits beside six hard-court tennis courts, also used for netball, and the running track, a pre-existing facility which has been adopted and
Greg Mann
Greg Mann
revitalised by the Sportspark to a standard which now sees it serving as the home venue of the City of Norwich Athletics Club. The Sportspark features many other assets which go beyond the provision of sporting facilities. There are 60-seat and 150-seat conference rooms available, and last spring one of the Sportspark’s meeting rooms played host to a talk by Zimbabwean cricketing pariah Henry Olonga. Further to this the cafe has seating for over 100 people. Nothing is done by half in this building. Although its many beginners’ classes and keep-fit programs are targeted as much at the public
as at students, the Sportspark’s relationship with and importance to the UEA cannot be understated. The Sportspark hosts the Ziggurat competition and the majority of UEA’s BUCS events (with the obvious exception of football, rugby and hockey). In addition, the Sportspark heavily subsidises several clubs and student prices will once again stay frozen during this academic year, the fourth in a row. With over 60 sports catered for and instructors available for classes on many different activities, the UEA has access to one of the country’s most impressive multi-sport facilities – at a discount price.
and athleticism against taller opponents. Host nation Turkey upset the odds to reach the final, where they were beaten 81-64 by the USA. Lithuania took third place, beating Serbia 99-88 in the bronze medal match. Pre-tournament favourites Spain were largely disappointing, finishing sixth after losses to Lithuania and Argentina.
League Cup revives the romance
World of Sport: Spot-fixing scandals, the USA’s return to the top and an eventful Cup night Pakistan’s Summer of Shame Compounding the spot-fixing scandal which has engulfed Pakistani cricket this summer, and tarnished the global image of the game, photos released by the News Of The World appear to show Shoaib Akhtar tampering with the ball during the 41st over of his side’s innings. The photograph seems to clearly
demonstrate Akhtar scratching the ball with his left thumb so as to make it reverse-swing. The fast bowler has been accused and subsequently banned for similar offences in the past, notably during a Test Match in Zimbabwe in 2002. This latest scandal couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), as it attempts to recover its shattered reputation.
Basketball: USA ends 16-year wait Team USA have recovered their place at the pinnacle of world basketball. Despite the absence of all 12 of their victorious Beijing squad, the Americans rallied around emerging superstar Kevin Durant and legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski to take the title, relying on their speed
In a night of eyebrow-raising results in the third round of the League Cup, there were shocks aplenty as Newcastle upended Chelsea 4-3, West Brom came from behind to eliminate Man City, and League Two sides Northampton Town and Brentford stunned Liverpool and Everton respectively on penalties.
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VENUE Editor-in-Chief>Danny Collins| concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Venue Editor>Duncan Vicat-Brown| concrete.event@uea.ac.uk
The times, they are a-changin’.. Welcome, ladies and gents, to UEA’s new look, ultra shiny entertainment magazine, Venue! Don’t worry, we’ll still be bringing you all the great content you’ve come to expect from The Artist Formally Known as The Event. This issue we look back on Big Brother, share our festival highlights and talk about some useful free software. All this, plus more reviews, features, excitement and feelings of uncomfortable lust than you can shake a rhythm stick at. So sit back in your beanbag, hammock or high-back leather chair, and let the delectable Venue writing team ease the stress of the first days back on campus.
concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk| Fashion Editor>Kat Jones Deputy Fashion Editor>Hannah Britt Fashion Contributors>Kat Jones, Hannah Britt
concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk| Arts Editor>Liz Jackson Arts Contributors>Liz Jackson, Emma Lehane, Emma Webb, Hannah Griffin
concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk| Creative Writing Editor>Robert Van Egghan Creative Writing Contributors>Carmina Masoliver, Chris Ogden, Anni Ueckermann, Ella Chappell
Have a week..
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concrete.tvdigital@uea.ac.uk| Television Editor>Tasha Golley Television Contributors> Ella Fairhurst, Robert Van Egghen, Tasha
concrete.wired@uea.ac.uk| Wired Editor>Vaughn Highfield Wired Contributors> DJ Turner, Vaughn Highfield, William Moran
concrete.music@uea.ac.uk| Music Editors>Alec Plowman & Alex Throssell Music Contributors> Ella Chappell, Jack Burrows, Duncan Vicat-Brown, Tom McInnes, Liz Jackson, Carmina Masoliver, Fiona Howard, Carolina Bodmer, Beth Wyatt
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk| Film Editor>Paul Martin Deputy Film Editor>Catherine Watts Film Contributors> Steph McKenna, Jonathan Brady, Jack Burrows, Carrie-Anne Elsden, Daisy Foster, Katy Quigley, Tom Ross, George Gilbert, Ira Lorandou
concrete.event@uea.ac.uk| Comedy Editor>Fiona Howard Comedy Contributors>Fiona Howard
concrete.listings@uea.ac.uk| Listings Editor>Georgina Wade Listings Contributors>Georgina Wade
concrete.competitions@uea.ac.uk| Competitions Editor>Henry Croft Competitions Contributors>Henry Croft
Fun Lovin’ Criminals. Like us in many ways; we love fun, we look good in suits and we’ve also been seen hanging around the LCR recently. We aren’t felons though, that should be made clear.
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Style of a Man, Body of a Woman
Fashion Editor Kat Jones and Deputy Hannah Britt explore the growing trend of Masculine inspired fashion for the Autumn and Winter months.
Michael Kors A/W 2010 Catwalk
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Flicking through the glossy pages of a fashion magazine, Burberry’s latest advertisement for the Autumn/Winter 2010 collection hit me in the face so hard that I had to do a double take. Here I was staring at five stunning models, all wintery, pale faces offsetting warm, chestnut hair and each one wearing a variation of creamy buttermilk hued fur swirled with indulgent, chocolate leather. The jackets are a calorie-free feast for our eyes to gorge on, but I was finding it all little hard to digest. You see, on dissection, the jackets are made up of two or three opposing textures. Starting with the leather, it is crisp and crackling, dark and dramatic. Then the fur, which is tightly knit, creating that ‘bobbled’ effect, it is a dappling of clean blossom whites that one fears it will grow grubby over time. Finally, in some cases, there is evidence of suede. Suede, being the third element, is always tricky when it gets wet, so should always be handled with care; a quality which makes this treasured material even more precious. Assembled with the highest attention to detail in the layering of beautifully contrasting colours and textures, the jackets come in a variety of form from the long, more fur and suede orientated overcoats to snuggle into to the cropped, tight, leather jackets that neatly zip the cold out with a slicker effect. Each one is a clearly a masterpiece. Surely? Yet the first thought that entered my mind as my eyes ran over this new style of outerwear was that the jackets were all a bit too reminiscent of the god-awful, oversized fur jacket of Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter from the classic sitcom that is Only Fools and Horses. Well, where do we start with Mr Trotter? He’s short, he’s
I’ve always had a fascination with men’s clothing. I remember watching Tom Cruise’s famous dancing scene in Risky Business and going on to adopt a favourite early teen outfit consisting of my father’s white shirt, bare legs and thick socks. I begrudgingly added boots to the ensemble when venturing outside... I thought I looked amazing. My mum thought I’d gone mad. My penchant for male attire has not diminished with time. I still find myself wandering through Topman thinking “what if...?” Freud would have a field day with me! I am personally, therefore, very excited to embrace Autumn/Winter 2010. Why? Because this is the season of androgyny. I am often told that I am “ruining a lovely dress” by draping a mismatched checked man’s shirt over it. However, there is method in my madness. By dressing down a heavily feminine dress, you can make your wardrobe more versatile; eveningwear can be worn in the daytime. A figure-hugging, black, bodycon dress could be seen as unsuitable attire in which to walk around the shops. Too dressy, too intense, just too much. Your priceper-wear of the aforementioned LBD is therefore skyhigh. However, throw a shirt over it and add flat worker boots and you have an outfit that hints at a killer body but covers up just enough of it. Used in this way, your littleworn going-out dress becomes a daytime staple. The key is in clever tailoring, as oversized can equal unsexy. Masculine-inspired trousers should look slouched yet cling to you in all the right places. If trousers are loose,
ONLY FOOLS IS FASHION GOLD
Burberry A/W 2010 Avertisement
Derek “Del Boy” Trotter, David Jason in Only Fools and Horses
cinch in a shirt to show off a slim waist. Always hint at your figure underneath. Androgynous dressing may seem at odds to the womanly, curve-loving, ‘underwear as outerwear’ trend seen at Louis Vuitton and Prada. However, the two trends can be worn simultaneously for extra fashion clout. Unbutton a loose white shirt to just below your bra, (or, better still, your corset) to muddle the feminine with the masculine. If you’ve got it, this season, flaunt it. When it comes to beauty, thick brows are back along with unkempt hair and minimal makeup. Think model du jour Freja Beha Erichsen or Alexa Chung and you’ll be heading in the right direction. If the slicked back hair of the Michael Kors catwalk is too intense for your daytime dressing, tone down a masculine outfit with tousled, come to bed hair. So ladies, next time you wander through Topman thinking “what if...?” take those thoughts to the till. Or, for added authenticity, take the trousers right off your boyfriend (I’m sure he won’t mind...) and show him who really wears them well!
Hannah Britt
squat, his fingers are adorned with knock-off gold sovereigns, and with the gift of the gab and a twinkle in his eye he’d try and sell ice to the Eskimos if given half the chance. Does this sound like a man to take fashion inspiration from? More Peckham than Beckham, David Gandy he is clearly not. But Del Boy’s jacket, if we break it down, contains the same elements. The caramel colour of the suede, the lighter tone of the lined fur, the length, the heavy fur collar – it’s all there, staring us in the face. He even had a black leather jacket with a black fur collar and matching cuffs, another feature of the Burberry range. Having said that, it’s not only Burberry. Dubbed as ‘aviator’ or ‘shearling’ jackets, these babies are gradually filtering their way into the high street, with examples found in Hobbs, Topshop and Zara. Asos, Lispy and Acne also have their own take on the trend. Obviously I trust fashion; I embrace it; I love it. So I slipped into Zara sheepishly and tried on a camel gillet in suede with a white fur lining and hood. As I slowly did up the duffel buttons I caught a glimpse of my reflection and did not dislike what I saw. Actually, quite the opposite. Yes, the initial reaction was that this piece was an extreme fashion equivalent to the East End wheeler-dealer, but out of that context and teamed with dark washed, skinny jeans, a floral vintage shirt and a long cream lace cardy, Derek Trotter was nowhere in mind. Who knows, maybe the Burberry designer does have a fondness for the sitcom, and has box collections of the DVD’s, therefore, unconsciously, the character traits have been woven into fashion. Del Boy may be a diamond in the rough, but these jackets are pure diamonds. Kat Jones
Take a look at this week’s Fashion Shoot which transforms the dodgy style of Derek Trotter to the catwalk class that Burberry hints at >>>
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Thanks to Mickey, our very own Del Boy, for modelling. Mickey sells vintage records and jeans on Saturdays outside St Gregory’s Church, Pottergate.
Get The Look >>>
Check the High-street out for some great Aviator/Shearling Jackets
New Look Jacket £39.99
River Island Gilet £49.99
Burberry Jacket £1974 (Start saving those pennies!)
Keira Knightley stepping out on trend
Come and Sign up to be a Concrete Fashion Writer at the Concrete table at the Soc Market in the LCR today.
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Is it the new member of Ndubz? Oh no. It’s Alasdair Wem, a 2nd year Music student. PVC cap, multicoloured nylon jacket and joggers...nice.” Hannah Britt
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Watch out students! We will be getting happysnapping with our cameras around campus this year. You may adorn our pages in the “Best Dressed” column or be warned as you might end up in the “What Were You Thinking?” column.
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Greg Mann 2010
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Mickey wears Brown Fur Coat from Vintage Varieties. Suit, his own
Vintage Varieties is a collection by Eilene Appleton. It features a wide selection of clothes and accessories, with new samples of knitwear coming for the winter. Eilene’s line is available at Tombland Antiques and Collectables, 14 Tombland 01603619129 Open TuesdaySaturday 10am-5pm
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concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk
Greg Mann 2010
New Feature: What Were You Thinking?
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Kat is decked out in Topshop clothes with the Aviator Jacket at £58.
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Arts>Summer Highlights Theatre>The Crucible The Crucible is perhaps Arthur Miller’s most famous play, and probably the most studied as an exam text. Consequently, it is hard to imagine how even the best of productions could offer a diverse and engaging perspective on the play about the infamous Salem witch-hunts. Yet, this proved possible in the Black Ram production at the Norwich Playhouse. Despite a tentative first half failing to completely absorb the audience in the tension as the scandal escalates (not helped by an unfortunately distracting prop malfunction and some initially unconvincing characterisation), a complete sea-change was effected at the end of the first act in the hauntingly disturbing ‘singing out’ of those accused of being allied with the Devil. This established a terrifying weight to their accusations which was re-impressed throughout the rest of the play from this point onwards. Similarly the skillful use of video enabled the audience to probe beneath a superficial impression of the characters and acted as a powerful silent monologue, further building tension and emphasising the immense injustice handed down by the guilty few. Markedly poignant scenes included one from the third act where the girls discredit
Mary Warren’s confession of their lies with harrowing mimicry, giving the impression that they are possessed and almost convincing the audience that the weak and broken Mary is capable of incredible manipulation of their souls. Moreover, the separation of John from Elizabeth as he is led to the gallows was exceptionally intense emotionally as we are relieved when he invents a confession to save his life, but then devastated as he decides to deny it for the sake of his integrity, condemning him to his death.
“a sensitive portrayal of an event which [...] warns us of the horrific consequences of jealousy and cowardice” Though the whole cast were excellent, some outstanding performances were seen in the characters of John and Elizabeth Proctor, Rev. Hale and Giles Corey who executed their roles with particular conviction, allowing the audience to feel the
same desperation, anger and mistrust as their characters experienced. The production was so emotionally wrought that it brought some to tears as Procter was hanged, leaving an unsettling realisation of how the power of an individual over his own life can disappear instantly and without mercy. Where the witch-hunts could seem to bear little relevance to the modern world, Black Ram threw the play’s events into a wider context by reminding us that little in world history has changed - utilising the famous quote “those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it”, and listing comparable events in the credits such as the Rwandan genocide and anti-Islamic hatred following the events of 9/11 in America. It is important to recognise Miller’s comparable struggle against prejudice during the Red Scare by McCarthy and the HUAC - which threatened to prevent him from ever working in Hollywood again if he was blacklisted – as these events inspired him to research the Salem witch-hunts. Surprising, enlightening and vivid, the production did not fail to impress and could be claimed to be one of the most interesting and dramatic interpretations of the play for a long time. The company gave a sensitive portrayal of an event which still
Literature>Lynn Barber>An Education Revelling somewhat in the trend of transforming works of literature into budget-busting Hollywood epics; An Education endured excessive acclaim and success, with nominations for Oscars and even a BAFTA win for up and coming sweetheart, Carey Mulligan. Nick Hornby’s screenplay captures quintessentially the sincerity of Lynn Barber’s autobiography, aptly named An Education. However, where it is only the second chapter that provides the plot for Hornby’s creation, the original text differs, Barber’s recollection is longer and somewhat more optimistic. Her memoirs recollect firstly her time growing up in middle-class 1960s England, under the ‘guidance’ of her strict but hopeful parents; her destination on course for Oxford and Oxford only. However ,it comes when Lynn meets ‘Simon’, an older and charming man, whilst waiting for the bus after school one day, that her life changes in a whirlwind to a “strange double life of schoolgirl swot during the week; restaurant-going, foreign-travelling sophisticate at weekends”. Her brutally honest tale captures the reader into a sparkle of charm that no doubt similarly
captured the impressionable 16-year-old Barber back then. She dances with her remembrances of rebellion, discovery and ultimately mistrust, such is the deceit of Simon when the secret of his ‘true’ life is eventually exposed. It is with Barber’s honesty that the reader captures the full extent and impact of Simon within not only her life, but that too of her once so quizzical parents, who just as breathlessly are enchanted by Simon’s charisma and tales and whom Barber is particularly critical of for it. Reaching the ‘dream’ of Oxford, it is here that Simon’s influence spirals uncontrollably and the autobiography really forms a captivating and insightful read. Despite deferring her parents’ academic drill, Barber still somehow ends up managing to successfully carve a decent degree from her Oxford experience (something if only we could all learn). The biography follows through to her successful time at the somewhat controversial Penthouse Magazine (and other subsequent newspapers), along with the relationship formed with her husband David. It is their love and time
with one another throughout the duration of Barber’s life that perhaps turns this possibly sour, men-hating novel into something of a love tale: Barber’s success drawn greatly from the inspiration and love she shared for David, whether she realised it at the time or not. It ends the autobiography on an emotional and coincidental educational high for both author and reader; something it seems even Barber would not have thought possible to gain from the text prior to starting. Barber’s collective is a journey of education, knowledge and growing up, but it is furthermore one of passion, inspiration and hope. It demonstrates the importance of the choices that we make every day and has inspired not only a phenomenal and rightfully acclaimed film, but also a biography that seems enjoyable yet hopeful to anyone wise enough to pick it up. Emma Lehane
rings true today and warns us of the horrific consequences of jealousy and cowardice, highlighting the brutal, base nature humanity can sink to. Liz Jackson
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concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk
From the famous opening line “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again” the readers really do feel like they too, are dreaming of Manderley. Daphne Du Maurier shows her talent wonderfully as the audience is transported into a world where reality is obscured and deception and pretences rule. The heroine of the book, after marrying a handsome, charming, although somewhat mysterious widower Max de
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Winter, spends the entirety of the novel being metaphorically haunted by his previous wife Rebecca’s ghost. Despite her love for him, she struggles to find her own identity and place in the marriage, feeling Rebecca’s presence in everything she touches and everything she does. Max de Winter is also plagued by his own problems and, like his wife, he too puts on a pretence and hides in deception rather than facing reality and being truthful both in his marriage and about his past. Despite all of the lies and deception the couple truly love each other, and both are being rescued by their marriage: Max from his life as a bachelor and our heroine from their housekeeper Mrs Danvers, a close companion of Rebecca and someone whom the narrator cannot help but detest. It is the couple’s love that helps them overcome the disaster and destruction that occurs when the veils come off and the truth is revealed. The book works incredibly well because of the skilled characterisation - the reader truly believes in and feels for the characters as they struggle through their troubles. As such, it should be recommended on this basis alone and Daphne Du Maurier certainly deserves her place among the classic writers of the past. This reporter was truly enchanted by her as a writer and by the novel.
truths about human existence have to be faced, however hideous, and fictional representations often provide the pathway to understanding and awareness. Banning a book with insight into the horrors of human nature does not cure the nature, but may increase the knowledge that helps prevent it.
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Literature>Daphné Du Maurier> Rebecca
which concern a multitude of the same themes - violence towards children, sexual abuse, racism – that cause some of the greatest works of our time to be subjected to damaging scrutiny, but with nowhere near the level of outrage from prospective audiences. The moral implications of censorship are deep-rooted and mostly for the greater good, but a society based on ‘no bad news’ is only a partial reality. Certain
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by similar groups with similar religious complaints, 110 years after its original publication. Some of the world’s most cherished classics have faced exclusion from the literary world. The U.S. government initially shunned John Steinbeck’s masterpiece Of Mice and Men, declaring that it contradicted the notion of the ‘American Dream’ and publicised failure. The European response to this decision was to award Steinbeck the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the book remains on GCSE English Literature syllabi all over the country, whilst still at fourth place on the ALA Most Challenged Books of the 21st Century list. Books concerning racism also come under heavy fire from censors, as To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) and The Colour Purple (Alice Walker) are frequent targets of complaints that descriptions of racism, violence and rape are unacceptable for the reader, regardless of their significance as periodical social realities. The annual celebration of Banned Books Week may well be of great assistance to the literary world. Bookshelves are becoming increasing filled with ‘misery memoirs’,
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In the last week of September each year, the United States celebrates written works that have been challenged or banned for discrepancies in content; they rejoice in ‘intellectual freedom’ and warning of the harm of censorship to the individual’s right to voice ideas on life’s harsh realities. Taking place this year between September 25th and October 2nd, ‘Banned Books Week’ highlights the moving power of the written word, and commemorates the most challenged books of recent years. According to the American Library Association (ALA), the vast majority of prohibited publications are criticised as being too sexually explicit, containing an unacceptable level of offensive language (including racial insults) or being generally unsuitable for the age group it was directed at. Other complaints condemn storylines from a religious or political perspective – Christian and Catholic denominational groups have attacked the Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling) for its inclusion of magic and sorcery, perceiving it as of Pagan origin and therefore offensive. L. Frank Baum’s children’s tale The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is still targeted to this day
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Literature>Banned Books Week
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What comes first is the shock, a blank pistol fired up in the air to start the stumble: Now! Words! Run like lightning, as it’s through lightning we acquire them! As we are slow, it might help to throw some
All I can think of are words but you don’t belong in sentences, these words can’t bring you back.
Lavender tears fall from his eyes scatter like ashes, a stolen memory from a neighbour’s garden, a hunched back holding the memories of ghosts, a scent clinging to fingertips no longer locked, entwined in another’s grip like ivy on a garden trellis.
The Walk Home A petrol rainbow yawns around your shoe and rain glistens down leaves, like fireflies. Some snowdrops in a garden bow their heads with no advice to pass. Car headlights. A crocus burns out in violet before it can reach the sky.
Eight thousand miles away, my photo cannot see you anymore. Somewhere in your flat, a light bulb has burnt out.
Anni Ueckermann
Creative Writing Events Wednesday 6th October
It clings to your irises. It drives your car with calm hands. It nestles itself In your ear. It rolls you out of bed into warm socks. It lifts your hands into a ray of light to tease the dust into undulations.
Launch of UEA Creative Writing Anthology - Readings and refreshments from 7pm at UEA Drama Studio. Free entry. Copies of the anthology are available in advance. For further information, see www.uea.ac.uk/ creativewriting/anthology2010
Ella Chappell
Next Issue
By 4pm there is just the memory of you, quietly reading the newspaper in the living room. A breeze rustles paper; for a moment you’re still with us, but it passes. There is a quiet sigh in the house like a long breath out.
And then, uninvited, happiness creeps in under the draught excluders, bypassed By the snoozing cat. It quietly cuts the pain from the photos on your shelf, Draining the colours to sepia. And, when you’re sleeping, makes an unwelcome guest.
And it’s swept away in the light to come crashing against the wall Where it strikes a dull yellow circle. The moment is lost. Find yourself with your fingers stretched out, thinking of something else.
Carmina Masoliver
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Footsteps short and slow and a throat that longs to, but cannot, swallow this lump, and can’t choke up with every coarse and crawling cough, and a mind that wants to suffocate itself with a pillow full of lavender.
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Warm hours let plummet rain, electricity and... Of course! Imaginary buildings rise, still unsure. What that sight is gets mulled with, words until worth is charged. By force, the swift force of ideas (hot yet), we’ve won air, some light: imaginary buildings rise. Still unsure what that sight is like? Lightning? As if! Through lightning, we acquire the swift force of ideas not yet woven. A gunfight does not come first; the shock is play, blank pistol fire.
All that’s left now is the tea cup and saucer, still stacked in the cupboard. Its early morning, and the birds are singing on the stoop, calling for their crumbs. Five o clock strikes and the city is waking up, but your flat is still asleep. There are no slippers slapping down the hall. The kettle isn’t on the boil. The pap is still maize in a bag. Six o clock strikes and the city growls louder. The empty windows watch the students make their way to lectures, the taxis roaring past.
UEA CWS ~Speakeasy~ - UEA Creative Writing Society presents a night of swinging spoken word from some of the society’s best talent at The Birdcage, 23 Pottergate, Norwich from 8pm. Only £2.00 entry
Tuesday 12th October
Quote of the Week “I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon, I put it back again” Oscar Wilde, Irish dramatist, novelist and poet (1854-1900)
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out, almost in a flash, braces a violent storm: four warm hours let plummet rain, electricity and, of course, thunder. Soon, the valley where words began to pour gets full with words until earth is charged by force.
I wish I wrote to you more- but the post was so slow! I wish I called you, but there was always tomorrowand now that there isn’t, those words still hang on my lips.
Greg Mann 2010
Here is a photo to inspire you for the next issue! Email your submissions to: concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk by 6th October
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up in the air to start: Air? Rumble? Clouds?... Words run out almost in a flash, chasing a mindless storm for them as we are, so it might help to throw some thunder soon; the valley where words begin to pour
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PRIME TIME: THE INBETWEENERS REALITY: BIG BROTHER E4 MONDAY 10PM
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If you’re interested in watching a smooth and slick, teenage hitting drama about the dispiriting relationship between a high earning city couple and their son’s nocturnal spiral, then press the off switch now. In making The Inbetweeners, Channel 4 has gone above and beyond the realms of entertaining television as we know it. Viewers are captivated as Will, Simon, Jay and Neil try to force their way up the social ladder, leading to a multitude of hilarious misadventures. Having reached their last year of sixth form college, it all takes a turn for the worse when Will shows off his questionable dance moves. There is much carefree banter between the close friends which, although some of the jokes are a teensy bit like playground snobbery from the years of Andy Pandy, serve as a sophisticated side plate to quench your appetite for the slapstick comedy that has the Channel 4 producers squeezing into their convertibles.
It’s easy to admit to being torn between the nihilistic qualities of Skins and the quirky charms of Will, who as a character is appropriately offensive yet also an adorable nerd still clinging to his mother like a safety blanket made of fine silk. Moreover, if Simon’s hair could be any spikier he may end up on the Sideshow Bob list of best comedic hair. Which, be warned, does in fact grow on the prepubescent teens piling out of gym class on a Friday. And so the trends continue, much to bemusement of the unhinged Neil who’s baffled expressions suit a person of social misfortune. Even Will is made to look suitably dapper in his 70’s waistcoat compared to the colourful tracksuits of Neil. Oh well, we all reach that stage of awkwardness; in fact, it still suits many to throw a tantrum because the girl they fancy is still hanging around the guy next door. Ella Fairhurst
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DOWNLOAD: SHERLOCK A surprise hit for the summer was the BBC pilot Sherlock, averaging 7 million viewers a week and creating the first real buzz in British drama since the end of Ashes to Ashes. Sherlock has been reinvented and transported by Dr. Who’s Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss into the 21st century, and the year 2010. The Baker Street address may remain the same but gone are the use of hansom carriages, replaced by the modern day transport of the black cab. Mrs. Hudson remains the same, whilst Dr. Watson is now John, and Holmes is Sherlock. Benedict Cumberbatch seems to capture the essence of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock; his boredom, irritability, arrogance and unique knowledge that all mixed together make him a charismatic, likeable character. When paired alongside Watson, played by Martin Freeman, who portrays him as a worthy loyal ally, there’s an undeniable chemistry akin to a modern day ‘bromance’, with a mixture of frustration, admiration and charm. There is a need to waive the fact that most modern day crime is solved with the use of D.N.A, something that the show, along with the audience, seemingly forgets. Moffat and Gatiss make the transition from the original setting of Victorian England to modern day effortlessly. There are regular references to Conan Doyle’s original stories; A Study in Scarlett, The Five Orange Pips and The Bruce-Partington Plans are just a few that spring to mind. The last episode of the three part series saw Sherlock bored and frustrated, with no cases to work on, until he becomes embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse before coming face to face with his mortal enemy Moriarty, in a dramatic final showdown that left viewers reeling with a dramatic cliff hanger, desperately wanting more. A new, three part series of Sherlock has already been commissioned for 2011. If you’ve not already downloaded the series, or sent off for the box set, it’s not one to miss. Tasha Golley
So Big Brother has come to an end. Feeling sad? Like it’s the end of an era? Like there’s a giant voyeuristic hole in your life that no amount of repeats or unseen footage can replace? Don’t worry – there are millions of others just like you. In a way, it sounds like the worst ever idea for a television programme; watching some narcissistic nobody with no sense of purpose going about their daily life on screen. And yet millions tuned in every night. At first it was billed as a unique, ground-breaking social experiment but gradually it became, let’s be honest here, a way for wannabe individuals to make a bit of cash whilst grabbing their 15 minutes of fame. This led to those who prefer their TV programmes with lashings of Elgar to call Big Brother vulgar trash. It’s hard to imagine a life before Big Brother. The programme that brought a new era to television and has since spawned many ‘reality’ television programmes from X-Factor to Strictly to Britain’s Got Talent to the extreme of the jungle in I’m a Celebrity
to 71 Degrees North, the latest extreme example, which involves dumping a bunch of celebrities in the Artic. Big Brother has also arguably led to the creation of the concept of ‘celebrity’. It’s why Katie Price has a successful television, musical and literary career. And no, the last one is not made up. Incidentally, Katie Price never went on Big Brother, though her new husband did. As did unknown glamour-model wannabe Chantelle, who ironically became the first and only non-celebrity to win Celebrity Big Brother. But what a heart of stone you would have to have not to be moved watching the romance between her and Preston unfold in the house. And the housemates will be what people will remember about Big Brother. Think of George Galloway. And Jade. And Nikki. And Brian. And… well, there were others… With Channel 5 desperate to snap up Big Brother, it looks likely that it may well be back before we even realised it was gone. Robert Van Egghen
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‘Best non-terrestrial channel of the year’ BBC Three BBC Four Cartoon Network E4 > Comedy Central Five USA > Sky News WINNER: BBC THREE
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‘Terrestrial Channel Of The Year’ BBC One BBC Two ITV1 Channel 4 Five WINNER: CHANNEL 4
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‘Non-Terrestrial Programme Of The Year’ Newswipe (BBC Four) 30 Rock (Comedy Central) Glee (E4) The Inbetweeners (E4) Pineapple Dance Studios(Sky 1) WINNER: THE INBETWEENERS
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Nominees & Winners
attended amid the X-Factor auto-tuning controversy, merely stated that he had no knowledge on the matter and that he was meeting with the producers to discuss how they produce the show. Since then, Simon Cowell has announced the banning of autotuning, and the incident appears to have been quickly forgotten with an average 10 million viewers still tuning in every week. Jay Hunt also talked about future BBC programmes. One series to look out for in the near future is Outcasts, a new sci-fi drama set on the fictional planet Carpathia, where our heroes build a home from home. However, as per the norm, not everything is at it seems. With mysteries galore, think Lost in space, and an ending that we all get... hopefully. Finally the Edinburgh Television Festival hosted the channel of the year awards. Below are the nominees and winners. Tasha Golley
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The Edinburgh Television Festival is the most important event on the UK Television calendar, a chance for broadcasters and shows to give us a sneak preview of current and future shows. Former BBC controller Jay Hunt (freshly poached by Channel 4 as new creative chief) confirmed that Stephen Moffat’s Sherlock would be returning for a new series in 2011. Rumours that the much cherished Gavin and Stacey may be returning for a one-off special appear to remain speculative for the time being. Moffat also announced that next year’s Doctor Who will be split into two series, proclaiming that “It will come back for seven episodes at Easter, build to an Earth-shattering climax... honestly, a game changing event for Amy, The Doctor and Rory.” He also revealed that the next series will not feature any Daleks. The director of ITV, Peter Fincham, who
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Halo: Reach
Format: Xbox 360 Release Date: Out Now Price: £37.99 (Standard) /£54.99 (Limited) In 2001, Halo: Combat Evolved changed the face of console First Person Shooters (FPSs) forever. In 2004 Halo 2 showed the industry how online play should be done, and in 2007 Halo 3 brought the ability to share user-generated content with the rest of the world. Halo’s developer, Bungie, obviously has a lot to live up to if Halo: Reach is to best any of its predecessors. The great thing is, it has.
Lots of fun name and gibberish generators, an easy way to waste hours of your time! position. Perhaps the ultimate deciding factor will be the games themselves. Forza 4 or Gran Turismo 5? Little Big Planet 2 or Kinectimals? As the Wii has proven, hardware is only ‘good’ if it can be supported through a strong catalogue of software. The good news is that there are plenty of fantastic titles heading to the 360 and the PS3 over the coming months and the motion controller revolution will only add to the thrill of experiencing these new games in new ways. While both Move and Kinect make use of 3D feedback environments and motion sensitivity, they are devices which execute and operate in drastically different and exciting ways (the same could be said for the Nintendo Wii). Hopefully you can see what your extra £55-£95 gets you if you do decide to try out Kinect in November, and for the most part, you know what to expect from the remote-only Move. The most important thing to remember is that Kinect, Move and yes, even the Wii, all have something different to offer, and it is only through engaging with each of these devices that we will know which one feels ‘right’. DJ Turner
9/10 Halo: Reach is fantastic from start
to finish and, just like the original, your character feels incredibly insignificant for a Spartan super soldier. Taking place before the original Halo,the story follows Noble Team, a team of Spartan soldiers, in their impossible task of holding back the Covenant (a series of alien species bound together by their religious beliefs) invasion of the military planet, Reach. Along the way are new set pieces for the Halo series, the introduction of new weapons and even a couple of new enemies. Halo: Reach does, however, set out to approach the Halo universe in a new direction. Your character (Noble 6) has all the personality of a damp cloth, but your team mates are full of quips and personality with some of the best voice acting for a FPS title, although it does fall slightly flat on its face as they still don’t quite feel real enough, and eventually begin to grate during the games campaign. On the lower difficulties Reach’s single player poses little to no threat for seasoned players, but upping it soon shows having
friends pays off, with Legendary mode seeming near impossible when played alone. With Reach, Bungie have also taken the opportunity to redo the brilliant online multiplayer; Halo: Reach is the ultimate online Halo experience, featuring the best multiplayer maps from Halo 2 and Halo 3 in a lovingly revamped form and with all their game modes, including fan made game types now as official built-in game variants. It also has the stellar Firefight Mode (previously a friends only game variant, where Covenant forces would attack you and 3 friends in waves and players would be awarded points) from Halo 3: ODST, but this time allowing for online play with friends or strangers. Ultimately Halo: Reach’s experiments with the Halo franchise pays off, it wraps up the story rather neatly and, for those who haven’t read Eric Nylund’s Halo: The Fall of Reach, it answers the questions of Halo’s past and why Halo: Combat Evolved starts quite the way it does. Even though there are a few holes, such as what happens to
Jonathan From Spotify
http://jonathanfromspotifyruinedyourplaylist. com/
Does exactly what it says on the tin. Witty comments about everybody’s favourite Spotify frontman! Chrome Fastball http://www.youtube.com/chromefastball The most intriguing use of YouTube in a long time; answer the questions quickly to get the ball to the other end of the course, as fast as you can. Can you make the high score list? I Hate Dinosaurs http://www.buzzfeed.com/ihatedinosaurs This person hates dinosaurs and has the most wonderful sense of humour! See how his dinosaur hatred manifests itself in this witty blog of self-made and found pictures. Here’s a final one to try. Go into Google and type in 2204355 into the search bar and then hit ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’. Try it if you dare hilarity will ensue.
Free and Easy
these new weapons we see, and the new enemy type, there are many more positives to this game than negatives. This is a game that any Halo fan has to play, and a game that every FPS fan should play. Go out and buy it now! Vaughn Highfield
The Good - Superb and furiously fun online multiplayer - Fantastic end to a brilliant series - Excellently written story line - Single player or 4 person co-op campaign
The Bad - Emotive character development needs some work - Online multiplayer has a tendency to be buggy (as of going to press).
The Ugly - Grunts, Jackals, Elites; well, basically anything you can shoot at...
COMPS habits is extraordinarily difficult unless you can present a tangible benefit for doing so, and this is something Ping just doesn’t have. It’s like Facebook, but it has a focus on music. It can also be accessed using iPhones and iPod Touches. To put it harshly: big deal. Facebook can too. As Apple like to say: ‘there’s an App for that’ – just as there’s an app for Spotify. There seems to be little to convince the reported 560 million people logging into Facebook every single day that using Ping is
worth the effort.That’s an impossible number of people to convert. Although Ping did have an influx of interest in its first two days – one million people signed up in that time – since then, that massive surge hasn’t kept up the pace. It’s a safe bet that most of that initial interest came from people wanting to know what all the fuss was about, or, even more likely, what that new button was in iTunes. Indeed, Ping is completely integrated with iTunes, giving it potentially a massive pool of users. However, just because one million people have made an account, they will not necessarily continually use their profiles –
vital for a social network. One thing Ping does actually do quite well is recommend new artists for users to ‘follow’. However, this is merely a selling tool for iTunes – which is made all the more convenient given it’s all in the same program. In contrast, Facebook’s attempts at monetising its website are at least slightly more subtle than this. Ping also has no dedicated website. If you prefer not to install iTunes, or if the computer being used does not happen to have the program installed, there is no way to use the service; iTunes has to be installed. It’s that simple, and this inflexibility on Apple’s part might hurt it in the long run. Ping doesn’t have to utterly defeat Facebook in order to continue. It’s perfectly possible to be active in both Ping and Facebook, and use other services like Spotify at the same time. But the fact is most consumers won’t excitedly jump at the chance to burden themselves with yet another online profile that they have to check and update. It doesn’t matter how powerful Apple’s brand is, there just isn’t enough here to make people use Ping as well as Facebook, or instead. For the last few years, Apple has moved from the PC, to the music player and then to the tablet markets, and each one has been a sensible, straightforward move for the company. The iPod saved it from collapse. The iPad has made Apple the go-to company for a consumer tablet PC. With Ping, Apple has given itself a real uphill struggle, and it will be interesting to see if the ‘Ping’ button is still there in a few years, or even months. William Moran
Help us help you
Microsoft Security Essentials
Gnu Cash Fancy a pint? Got your reading list? As students we find that there is no shortage of information on how to apply for finance and loans, but how many of us are confident in what and how we spend? GnuCash is compatible with Windows and Mac, and utilises a simple bookkeeping system perfect for monitoring your finances. Making good use of a ‘simple cheque book’ interface (great for keeping track of your spending), the software will even calculate a bottom-line budget, taking into consideration all expenses. A fantastically practical and user-friendly program.
As far as anti-virus programs go, MSE is pretty good. It has a simple user interface, with all settings easily accessible. Some anti-virus programs have been known to be resource intensive, making computers slower – especially if they were already slow machines. That is not the case here. The best aspects of this program, though, are that it’s unobtrusive, sitting in the background, quietly updating regularly without whining at the user to do it, dealing with viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojan horses by itself. To top it all off – it’s totally free. Sort of ticks all the boxes, doesn’t it?
www.gnucash.org
www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
Don’t quite understand the difference between Megabytes, Gigabytes and Terabytes? Always had a burning desire to know how the things around you work? Maybe you’ve just got something technology and game related on your mind. It could even be suggesting games and technology issues you would like to see addressed in Wired, maybe you like a particular writer and want to sing their praises! Whatever it is, Wired is looking for you to drop us a line and pose your questions left, right and centre. We’ll print the most helpful, interesting or just plain funny questions each issue, however we can only achieve this by working together, so help us help you and send your questions in! Drop us a line anytime at: Concrete.Wired@uea.ac.uk
LISTINGS
The Surrealist http://thesurrealist.co.uk/
Launching a social network is a tough job, and convincing people to use it on a massive scale is even tougher. With Ping, Apple’s new social network, Apple are attempting to break into an already saturated market. Facebook, established and dominant, already incorporates almost every feature necessary to a social networking site, including one that Apple’s Ping cannot hope to initially match; its massive userbase. It’s estimated that Facebook’s revenue for 2009 was $800 million, thanks to its users. Apple’s existing online service, iTunes, has 160 million account holders, which they hope they can coerce into their own social networking base, while at the same time increasing music sales by providing Ping. While this is a good place to begin, it says nothing about the nature of the service. How is Ping unique? What market does it cater to, that has not already been filled? People need a good reason to switch, especially when leaving something as integral as Facebook. What, then, does Ping have to offer that Facebook and Spotify do not? Users will be able to follow artists, find out about upcoming singles, albums etc., and have their musical interests followed by others. They will be able to say what artists and genres of music they like, and upload their own reviews. However, Facebook already allows for all of this, and everyone already has Facebook. Spotify even allows users to send entire playlists to other people who can then listen to it all, immediately. They do not have to first buy any of it from iTunes. Getting people to change their online
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Fun links to pass the time between socialising and learning.
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locate and recognise your voice and allow headset-free party chat) the package is almost complete. The final tier here is Kinect’s custom processor, enabling full human body recognition and promoting the notion that ‘you are the controller.’ This full-body play is the unique selling point that Kinect has to offer as a piece of technology, and you would be hard pushed to find a cheaper bit of hardware that offers such personalised play and usage through alternative means. Move is a much more self-contained gadget, with most of the wireless process taking place inside the actual controller(s). At a glance, one could make the assumption that a single hand-held device (Move) grants a better level of control and motion sensitivity than one designed to allow fullbody capture (Kinect), though this remains to be seen. Furthermore, the tactile feedback offered by the Move controller may be a favourable alternative to the hands-free Kinect, particularly for those looking for a more sensory gaming experience. Being able to ‘explore and feel’ your way around a virtual environment is a huge plus for technology buffs and curious gamers alike. Move works by combining advanced motion sensors with bluetooth technology and a light ‘sphere’; this offers the user precise three-axis sensitivity and movement, and from what I have seen, it works well. The Playstation Eye camera allows the controller to be located in a 3D environment, with the purpose of further enhancing the accuracy of the on-screen feedback (this is just one of the factors that distinguishes Playstation Move from the technology on offer with Nintendo’s Wii console) right down to the player’s exact
A Crowded House?: Apple’s musical social network
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selection of factors and criteria to aid in the decision-making process, but ultimately it will be down to your own instinct: Which is cheaper? Which is easier to use? Which will have better games? Which will give me the most interesting experience? First things first; Kinect is set to be a more expensive product (currently advertised at £129.99, including Kinect Adventures) than Move, which can be purchased as cheap as £34.99 (if you already own the Playstation Eye camera and skip on the Navigation controller), ranging to no more than £74.99 (if you start from scratch with the Playstation Move Pack and pick up a Navigation controller on the side). Yes, It’s quite a difference, and Kinect will leave you with a significantly lighter wallet; it will, however, also give you facial recognition, voice recognition, fullbody 3D motion capture and the opportunity to play with a greater number of players from the single device (this is where Move gets expensive). The Kinect sensor combines a camera with a depth sensor to recognise players facially and allow the device to see the room in 3D (even with the lights off – late night gaming anyone?), and when this is paired with the multi-array microphone (which will
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A Revolution in Motion: Kinect Vs. Move
Those who followed this year’s E3 convention will have noticed that the bulk of conferences were all flowing in a single direction – the motion controller. Microsoft finally announced a release date for their controllerfree XBOX 360 sensor device Kinect (it will be on sale from November 10th, for those who need reminding), and teased audiences with early demos of ‘Kinect able’ games, such as the hugely anticipated Forza Motorsport 4, the family friendly Kinectimals and a variety of other (more light-hearted) games including Dance Central and Kinect Sports. As E3 entered its final hours Sony also had an announcement to make, and, like Microsoft, it was regarding the advent of their motion controller. Playstation Move was released for the Playstation 3 earlier this month on September 17th, and Sony fans will soon be able to enjoy PS3 exclusives along the lines of Little Big Planet 2 and Killzone 3 with full Move compatibility. “So...” – I hear you ask – “which one should I spend my money on?” The answer may seem simple (what console do you own?), but it is evident that there is more to this debate than a quick solution (not forgetting that many gamers do, in fact, own both). The question can be refined to a small
concrete.wired@uea.ac.uk
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concrete.wired@uea.ac.uk
wired
Unexpected Twitter Gems: Three To Follow @FakeAPStylebook: A must for any aspiring but cynical journalists. Recent Tweet > “Journalists have a serious responsibility to their readers. Honour this by ensuring you have, in fact, identified Hollywood’s Sexiest Legs.” @TheBig_Sam: A fake profile for Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce. He knows all about it, and loves it. You don’t have to like football to find it hysterical. Recent Tweet> “Made the lads sing ‘What If God Was One Of Us’ today. Have to cultivate their spiritual curiosity. Then we all had custard & went bowling.” @AndrewWK: Surprisingly enough, the man really likes partying. And bananas. Recent Tweet> “First person to NAIL A BANANA TO THEIR WALL and photograph it wins a t-shirt from my store!”
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concrete.film@uea.ac.uk
Inception Director: Christopher Nolan Running Time: 148 mins
Matrix, Titanic and Twilight fans united at cinemas across the world for a threehour jigsaw puzzle narrative, which deliberately sets out to not have all the pieces fitting by the end. It leaves audiences, especially those who didn’t lose the plot, united by a deep sense of fulfillment - and a select third howling for more. It is testament to Christopher Nolan’s talent as a writer and director that he approached the Hollywood big shots as early as 2001 and persuaded them to fund the year it would
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FACT: This is the third Christopher Nolan movie in five years in which Cillian Murphy’s character spends a significant portion of his on-screen time with a cloth bag over his head.
take to produce Inception - an original and deeply convoluted film about the abstract world of dreams. For Nolan, this was the film he’d always wanted to make, an opportunity that was undoubtedly a mindblowing risk for Hollywood. If anyone could do it, it was Nolan. Banking on the huge success of his previous films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight (of which a third installment will be hitting the big screens in 2012) he secured funding for his highconcept thriller. Already his contributions to the Batman franchise have been revered. The truly gothic scenes of Gotham City, iconic characters like Heath Ledger’s Joker and the
The Expendables
carefully layered plotlines ultimately meant audiences across the world were never going to view the likes of
film’s success hinges on box office takings, Hollywood must have been relieved. To date, the film has raked
Spiderman or even Iron Man in the same league. At least, these were the kinds of accolades Hollywood investors were hoping for Inception. So, was this the blockbuster movie of the summer? In the land where a
in $697 million worldwide, which by anyone’s standards, is mind-blowing, with many going to see it a second time. Admittedly, the high profile cast must have helped. Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page make for a great on-screen
Toy Story 3
duo who play two highly skilled operatives that extract information from people’s dreams. In order to escape imprisonment in the U.S., DiCaprio’s character must carry out one final job – inception, the act of planting an idea within one’s mind. With the help of an ensemble cast, including Michael Caine, the plot carefully follows the characters as they enter the different levels of the subconscious – while differentiating between dream and reality. There is more than a passing resemblance here to the Matrix trilogy, as the laws of physics don’t apply, allowing for many a mid-air battle. The film still has a lot to answer for by the end,
and aside from the few plot holes the payoff for the final 30 seconds is well worth the brain drain. And with such a complex film, there needs to be an equally complex outlet to purge those taxing plot lines. This comes in the form of the immense SFX scenes where only Hollywood is unrivalled, providing enough pace to keep the audience fully engaged long enough for the climatic ending. Once again, Nolan hasn’t underestimated his audience and Inception delivers on most fronts as a Hollywood blockbuster, and unlike Hollywood, reassuringly puts substance alongside style. Jonathan Brady
Knight and Day
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Director: Sylvester Stallone Running Time: 103 mins
Stallone’s all cast plethora of masculinity is visceral, ripe with archetypes and full of highlighted bicep veins. Despite expectations, Stallone’s mobocracy maintains an impassioned sensitivity - sizeable chunks of dialogue in salient and mismatched scenes discussing female troubles, presumably because manly comrades do this as a prerequisite. Combined with a gargantuan knowledge of horrific oneliners, these traits supply the characters with jovial humanity. However, the real reason anyone will be watching The Expendables in the near future are numerous.
There are seven minutes of explosions. There is an AA12 shotgun in the hands of a ‘token black guy’. Jason Statham spouts verse. There are unambiguously despicable antagonists with lots of large threatening henchmen that clearly merit extreme retribution. Surprisingly, through all the pouting eyes and indifferent moustaches, Mickey Rourke delivers quite a decent bit of acting which unfortunately, like a lot of the film, appears out of place and is immediately followed by Steve Austin coshing a nice lady’s head -the film saving face after being close to tears. Overall, it’s brilliant kibosh if you can pierce your cheek with your own tongue. If not, then don’t go near it. Jack Burrows
Director: Lee Unkrich Running Time: 103 mins
We’ve waited an entire decade for it, but finally has Pixar delivered cinematic gold once again. A lot has changed since our last meeting with Woody, Buzz and the rest of the legendary posse. Andy is all grown up, and it’s finally time for him to head to college; the thing his toys have been dreading most – the end of play-time, forever. Following a clear out, all but Woody are bundled into a bin bag destined for the attic but are instead mistakenly thrown out for the rubbish collection. Despite Woody’s insistence that the act was a mistake, the group believe this to be a clear sign of Andy’s disregard for them.
They head to Sunnyside Day Care Centre, where the hope of being played with still exists. When the gang arrive, their prayers seem answered when they are welcomed by ‘Lots-O’, Sunnyside’s presiding toy. But the Huggin’ Bear has a whole lot more in store for them than they hoped. Luckily for them, Woody and some new faces have some plans of their own. Boasting incredible computer animation and a host of new lovable characters, Toy Story 3 is another testament to Pixar’s sublime career in producing visually inspiring and heartwarming family films. For many, this film marks the end of an era. Some shining highlights include: Ken’s extensive wardrobe, Buzz’s Spanish ‘lesson’ and the cutest Pixar kid since Boo. Carrie-Anne Elsden
Director:James Mansgold Running Time: 109 mins
Knight and Day was off to a rocky start with this reviewer due to its dubiously punning title. The plot revolves around June (Cameron Diaz) who is on her way to her sister’s wedding, but is prevented from getting on the plane. But then, in a completely inexplicable way, she finds a seat which, lo and behold, places her directly next to our leading man, Roy (Cruise) and our bumbling, action rom-com romp ensues. Be wary of films where all the best parts
are pasted together in the trailer. The plot serves as a mere canvas for the big explosions and shoot-’em ups, sprinkled with some corny comic relief. The premise for the film was a light-hearted parody of an oversubscribed genre, but the end product is overstuffed, under-considered and a bit too ridiculous. It’s not all doom and gloom. The effects were dramatic, the world scenery nice, but otherwise it’s a jack of all trades, master of none. So, if you find yourself fancying a spoof spy, action thriller then pop Mr. and Mrs. Smith in your DVD player instead. Daisy Foster
Come join our writing team at SocMart, in the LCR on Tuesday 28th September!
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk
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THE KARATE KID
Film titles would leave many with a decent guess to the film’s content, but The Karate Kid actually has very little to do with Karate. In fact, it’s the martial art of Kung Fu that Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) is taught, so why not ‘The Kung-Fu Kid?’ Well, if you’ve been to an Odeon over this summer, you’ve probably realised that Hollywood has spent most of it releasing more of the same, and this is no exception of an attempt to regain a nostalgic audience. Apart from the title issue, the film is entertaining and the narrative is similar to its 1984 release in many parts. Dre and his mother are
taken from job-restricted Detroit to Beijing, where they meet Mr Han, portrayed by Hollywood martial art specialist Jackie Chan, who teaches Dre Kung Fu to help him overcome school bullies. Mr Han makes Dre take off his jacket and put it on the floor, then put it on again – elaborately modernising the ‘wax on, wax off’ training approach of Mr Miyagi from the 1984 film, to “jacket on, jacket off”. The performance of Chan was customary, but Smith seemed too like the innocent boy in The Pursuit of Happyness; it is evident that this was a career enhancing film as his parents were both co-producers. Tom Ross
HOT TUB TIME
KICK-ASS
MACHINE
Director: Steve Pink Release Date: 30/08/10
Director: Matthew Vaughn Release Date: 06/09/10
Steve Pink (writer of High Fidelity, Grosse Point Blank and producer of Knight and Day) directs this cheerfully inane hodgepodge of Old School, Cool Runnings and Back to the Future. Three failed adults and an out of place unfunny nerd undergo an idiotic existential crisis when their skiing holiday is disrupted by a jacuzzi transporting them back to the 1980’s. The threadbare plot, which mixes the comedy styling of the modern frat pack with time-travel, may sound like surprisingly original premise for a high concept movie, but do not
Kick-Ass is something of a rare gem; a blockbuster that thinks it’s an indie film. Hyped as a new breed of comic-book adaptation, it surpassed all expectations and turned the genre on its head. By relentlessly referencing superheroes and comic-strip captions, it draws attention to genre trends and exploits them for both humour and aesthetics, immersing us in the world of a geeky adolescent’s wet dream. Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) leads us through the ‘what ifs’ of every media savvy youth’s fantasy with a freefall dive into what it
of John Cusack, going back to his career roots as a comedy actor,who does very well to convincingly keep a straight face throughout. Genre aficionados will not have a problem with the quality of the gags. The biggest failing instead is that the film concludes with a moral lesson - act irresponsibly and selfishly, and you will reap later success – which detracts from its appeal. George Gilbert
means to be a hero. The film follows this awkward teen as he tries to be a good Samaritan by buying a wetsuit and calling himself ‘Kick-Ass’. He repeatedly gets his ass kicked, until he becomes caught up in the midst of the revenge story of two real superheroes, Hit Girl (the excellent Chloe Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage). It’s violent, bad mouthed and gritty, but never less than utterly entertaining. Standout scenes include
Hit-Girl’s brutal entrance, and a warehouse set piece, amazingly all contained within one shot. Mark Strong, the villain of the piece, commented that it “glorifies in its incorrectness”, meshing Tarantino-esque visual style, teen comedy, romance and Marvel comics. Although best suited to the big screen, Kick Ass is still as enjoyable on the small screen with friends. Ira Lorandou
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be fooled - despite being set in the past, it is only the sights and sounds that are different. The thin stock of immediately obvious cultural references quickly dries out, and the film for the most part relies on the over-familiar Hollywood comedy stock in trade of guiltily awful sight gags and silly body humour. This unsubtle material is mostly gross, occasionally lewd, but frequently funny, in no small part due to the efforts
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Director:Harald Zwart Running Time: 140 mins
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Those of a certain age will recognise the film’s iconic internal narrative; ‘In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit...’. The series was regarded with such high esteem that anyone taking on a reboot had to be confident that he could capture the original’s humour and pure insanity. This summer director Joe Carnahan was the brave man who took up that challenge. The action follows the formation of the unorthodox yet successful A-Team, their subsequent imprisonment for a theft
they did not perpetrate, their escape from jail and their attempt to earn their freedom and regain their honour. Critics have been unfairly critical of this light-hearted film. The plot is fast-paced and the action is well executed. The performances are strong. Sharlto Copley, in particular, is hilarious as the insane Murdoch. Quinton Jackson, as B.A, holds his own in a role that could well have been too big for nearly any actor, and Bradley Cooper is fun as the vain ladies-man, Faceman. Liam Neeson, however, as Hannibal, is clearly not comfortable with the comedic role. Any fan of the action genre will love this rewarding film. Katy Quigley
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Director: Joe Carnahan Running Time: 117 mins
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The Twilight Saga should come with a health warning. It could be blamed for the sexual degeneration of the modern world: endorphinstrangled teenage girls, the exploitation of a half naked 17-year-old boy, ‘sparkly’ adult toys… and most unpleasant of all, the ‘Twilight mom’. But, love it or hate it, this summer saw Hollywood’s favourite love triangle score their third resounding victory. For those shamefully tied by the heart-strings already, Eclipse succeeds in pushing the romantic tension to an entirely new level, haemorrhaging awkward silences and
stolen glances, jealous wolf tantrums and suppressed vampire hormones at every opportunity. Whilst the threat of the Volturi and vampire Victoria lurk ever closer, Bella (Stewart) is pressured into making a decision between becoming a vampire, like boyfriend Edward (Rob Pattinson), or remaining human with best friend, and werewolf, Jacob (Taylor Lautner). This time round, however, there is some hope for any jilted boyfriends in the audience as new director David Slade (30 Days of Night) attempts to widen the saga’s accessibility by evening up the romance/ action ratio, with longer fight scenes and fresh ‘newborn’ violence. Steph McKenna
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Director: David Slade Running Time: 124 mins
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Up and Coming... As the year comes to a close, one big genre blockbuster remains – the belatedsequel to the 1982 sci-fi ‘classic’ Tron. Has anyone even seen Tron? Don’t. It’s whack. Okay, not whack, but definitely not great. It’s not so much a film as it is someone sticking their budgetary knackers in an old computer. The resulting gooey excretion spawned a gazillion CGI-heavy, plot/ character/interest-light blockbuster-loving children and forever cemented Hollywood as an expensive waste of consumer brain cells. So, Tron: Legacy… what
can we expect? Well, the game has certainly been raised in the last twentyeight years. Sure, we haven’t quite evolved beyond paying in our millions to have middle-aged men selfloving pixels directly into our eyeballs (“Thank you, Mr Cameron! May I have another, sir?”), but Pixar have spent the last decadeand-a-half demonstrating how technology can be
Talking Movies For It’s probably important to establish that 3D, at the moment, is little more than a thinly veiled attempt to force digital screens into more cinemas under the semblance of innovation. This latest resurrection of the format, while less obviously gimmicky than previous incarnations, has still been used by many as little more than a promotional tool, for everything from animation, to historical blockbusters, to Jackass. There is one glaring
exception: Avatar, the huge, hulking cash behemoth of 2010. Though the story and characters were less than inspiring, the phenomenal visuals were what really made it stand out. While advanced CGI is a significant factor in this, it’s undeniable that James Cameron’s all new 3D technology added a depth of field that really heightened the immersion. If every 3D blockbuster made as much use of the technology available as Avatar did, the cinema would be an entirely different proposition.
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk
TRON: LEGACY > Tom McInnes asks “CG-WHY?!”
used as an enabler for great storytelling rather than a replacement for it. Anyhow, Tron: Legacy… the trailer’s got motorbikes. And The Dude! But, that aside, can we expect much? There’s a lot of potential in the premise. It’s certainly fertile ground, and surely far more relevant now than it was in the early80’s. A cautionary fable about modern man’s
dependency on technology or video-game violence or something? Unlikely. It’s a big-budget 3D sci-fi movie made for young boys – therefore car chase + punchy kick + boobs = success. The real question here is: ‘why?’ Is the human creative force so bereft of ideas that we now have to rehash old relics that went unwatched in the first place? I could give you three original ideas now! Here’s just one: three downon-their-luck streetwalkers develop super powers and take bloody vengeance on their sleazy clients on the mean streets of Baltimore. McG to direct. Tom McInnes
This week, Duncan Vicat-Brown (for) and Paul Martin (against) go head-tohead to see if 3D cinema is worth the hype or just an expensive turkey. This is why people should be excited about Tron: Legacy. Although a sequel to a not-very-good 80’s sci-fi flick directed by a man who makes video game adverts is hardly a mouth-watering proposition, it is the first big budget action-adventure flick since Avatar where 3D has been an integral part of the production process from day one. 3D technology has a real potential to change blockbuster cinema for the better, we just need more people to do it better.
The Popcorn Chart Young Frankenstein – Putting on the Ritz So you’ve successfully reanimated a corpse using an ‘abnormal’ brain and a lightning storm, kept the world’s strangest police inspector at bay, and, by losing and then recovering the aforementioned walking corpse, resolved your extensive granddaddy issues. Now, it’s your job to prove to an audience of aristocrats carrying a lot of throwable fruit that the whole venture was worthwhile. What do you do? If you’re Dr Fredrick Frankenstein there’s only
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Against To be blunt, some films are just not designed for 3D. Toy Story 3 is a perfect example of how its classic CGI cartoon franchise became unrecognisable in 3D. Though it is a great film, 3D played no part to its excellence. Granted, Avatar encapsulated something magical and encouraged a whopping 71 per cent of viewers to watch in 3D. But with over two dozen 3D films flooding the market this year it seems what was once the must see pinup
girl of cinema, now sags as her popularity wanes. 3D screening figures have plummeted by 30 per cent as people contemplate catching the cheaper 2D version which is now shunned to the graveyard shift. Furthermore, audiences have complained about the poor visual quality of some films as film-makers rush the expensive process to attach this gimmick to films with substantially weaker plots, I am looking at you, The Last Airbender and Piranha 3D. 3D’s continuing struggle
to fit in serves as a headache for cinema goers rather than advancing the next stage of cinema evolution. It pressures smaller chains to convert to 3D systems in fear of losing competition to rival companies. Its bullying tactics question whether this fad will survive financially in the long run. Since 3D’s inception sixty years ago it has been overlooked by more pressing cinematic advances, begging the question as to why filmmakers keep resurrecting this tired gimmick.
To celebrate of the unfortunate release of Step Up 3D this summer, Duncan VicatBrown brings us a top five countdown of the funniest dance sequences in film.
one thing you can do...
improbably well, boy busts out some improvisational extravaganza covering everything from disco to traditional Jewish dancing, physics looks on in despair. Y’know, standard really.
Airplane – Stayin’ Alive It’s your typical boy meets girl, boy dances with girl, boy gets stabbed in the back, boy spasms wildly, girl imitates spasms mistaking them for dance moves, new boy throws hat, hat comes back, boy circles girl, boy throws girl, girl takes abnormally long to come back, girl spins man
The Producers – Springtime for Hitler The second showing for Mel Brooks, the king of the chuckle shuffle, this is the culmination of Max Bialystock’s (Zero Mostel) efforts to bring a surefire flop to Broadway, and quite possibly the most wantonly offensive musical number ever conceived.
The Bavarian showgirls are funny. Camp Hitler’s fabulous introduction is funnier. However, the goose-stepping, rotating swastika should leave you a shivering, hysterical laughwreck.
Napoleon Dynamite – Canned Heat The genius of this one has sadly been diminished by its ubiquity. More people have seen this scene than the rest
of the movie. However, the real beauty of this piece of classic celluloid is how much it should catch you off guard. Napoleon is awkward; Christ, the man can’t even run out of shot gracefully. He plays tether ball with all the poise and finesse of a grenade. He wears freakin’ moonboots, ferchrissakes. So, when his brother’s new fiancé and her fantastically massive teeth pass him a tape of hip, happenin’ tunes, you’d be forgiven for not immediately assuming that some jaw dropping moves are on the way. But, of course, they are. God!
Little Miss Sunshine Superfreak You know some madness is about to go down when adorable, pudgy pre-teen Olive introduces her beauty pageant talent performance with “I’d like to dedicate this to my grandpa, who showed me these moves.” This is the same grandpa who came out with such classics as “You should be gettin’ that young stuff,” and “When you’re old you’re crazy not to do it.” So, all things considered, the ensuing carnage really isn’t all that surprising. Duncan Vicat-Brown
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Robin Trower - Waterfront 15/09/10
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the sombre tempo and mixes with a passionate exploration of harmonious arpeggios. As the gig rounds off you begin to wonder how many times Trower has cricked his neck in his four decade career with so much vigorous movement from the shoulders upwards while he plays. The encore is well-received as the sprightly blues erudites leave the stage after a professional performance that doesn’t suggest retirement anytime soon. Jack Burrows
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wipes stagnating saliva. Trower himself effortlessly impresses, shredding in a bluesy manner at phenomenal speeds while juxtaposing his signature effectladen passages that innervate the room’s collective arm hair. Finding Me from the new album starts out bland but progresses into an explosive finale that leads straight into Twice Removed From Yesterday. Trower surprises everyone with a fine set of vocal chords as well as fingers that hypnotically explore the top of the fret board with a slow delta blues feel. A slightly heavier rendition of Day of the Eagle bleeds into a majestic opening for his most famous and eloquent work, Bridge of Sighs. Pure blues power emanates through
Gallops - Arts Centre 10/09/10
Ella Chappels 2010
Ella Chappels
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found the guitarists Brad Whyte and Mark Huckridge and the drummer Dave Morait hammering themselves into their instruments whilst hectic electronica was unleashed by the sequencer on his laptop and the lead guitarist almost at prayer at his pedals. Although the audience was small, they definitely had a good time. And the best part about seeing a band like this at Norwich Arts Centre is that when the bearded man who has been jigging furiously throughout the gig stops to shout out “one more!”, there is no reason why not.
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With song names like 100011101001111, it was easy to be apprehensive of the Welsh electro-rock band Gallops. This intrigue continued with the very different support bands: the amiably modest Epichunt who tore danceable dubstep beats out of his gameboy, followed by the skinny-jeaned, face-melting screamo band Maths. In the end, it turned out they were a sweet combination of the two, serving us catchy, electro riffs with heavy guitar beats. Think Foals, but more raw and, probably, more passionate. While some might not choose to listen to this kind of music alone, it is made to be heard live. The set seemed to build up to the climax of Miami Spider, which
Ella Chappels 2010
COMPETITION TIME!
WIN FEVER FEVER TICKETS! Alright, listen up! We’ve got two tickets to Fever Fever’s Peel Day Celebrations and EP launch at the Arts Centre on Friday 8th October and you could be going! For the uninitiated, Fever Fever are Norwich’s very own ass-kicking trio of angst-ridden art rock goodness. Also on the bill are Islet and Death of Death of Discotheque. If you want to go, all you’ve got to do is answer this very simple question...
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On arrival at the Waterfront there is definitely a blue tint. The audience demographic contains a mix of senior rockers shocked by the presence of students and what looks to be a significant portion of Norfolk’s guitar tutors. The lights dim and the support act take the stage, a down to earth blues outfit called King King. A nascent blues shuffle explodes into hard funk as the band begins what turns out to be a very appealing set. Simply Red style ballads, brilliant vocals and warm modesty made this hard blues band a definite recommendation. After a short interval Mr. Trower arrived and launched into Midnight with funky dancing to boot, the sexagenarian quartet laying down a groove that
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a) Jack Peel b) John Peel c) Banana Peel Andi Sapey 2008
Think you’ve got it? Email your answer to concrete.music@uea.ac.uk by Tuesday 5th October to be in the running!
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Which Peel does Fever Fever’s Peel Day Celebrations refer to?
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music
Album Reviews Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti Before today
Grinderman Grinderman 2
Before today, Ariel Pink has always been something of a difficult proposition. The framework was all there; Hollywood indie rockstar with cool friends (Animal Collective are huge fans, releasing his first LP on their Paw Tracks label) and a unique sound; think 60’s, 70’s and 80’s revivalism being fed through a garbage compacter. He comes across as some kind of enigmatic genius, like a bedroom-studio’d Jeff Mangum. Only trouble is, all his albums so far have been a bit cack. It’s hard to put a finger on why, there’s just been something missing. You knew it was interesting, you just weren’t particularly…interested. So when lead single Round and Round, a sublime piece of transcendent pop, burst onto the blogosphere effectively inviting anyone else to raise the bar, people began to get excited. Fully living up to that promise, Before Today is unlike anything else you’ll hear all year. It’s not so much influenced by decades past as it is like a tape found at the back of a drawer after years of neglect. There’s a stunning musical breadth on offer, with many tracks careening
Grinderman 2 is the album Bunny Munro hears in his head as he slides between the thighs of another housewife/divorcee/ widow. Nick Cave’s sexual dysfunctions continue to fuel his work; aggressive, animalistic and utterly unrestrained. Opening with distant guitar noodling that suddenly gives way to the pounding distortion of Mickey Mouse and The Goodbye Man, Cave and his troupe launch an immediate assault of raucous prog-rock and garage blues. What follows is a forty-minute rampage of illicit sexuality that refuses to let up until the, ahem, climactic outpouring of Bellringer Blues, all wailing guitars and a rather perversely-placed gospel choir. The blues is a staple of Cave’s work, and it infuses every aspect of his writing (the first words he treats us to on Grinderman 2 are “I woke up this morning…”). As such, a very real and palpable feeling of melancholia and desperation permeates the deviant strutting and caterwauling - it’s deeper than it seems, man. Not to say that it isn’t a funny album, or, perhaps more accurately, punny (no, sorry, that’s just awful). Try this on for size: “My baby
from one style to another with reckless abandon, shapeshifting so frequently that the tracklist becomes basically irrelevant. From the synth-odyssey of L’estat (acc. to the widow’s maid) to the phenomenal, guitar driven Little Wig, every song is fit to burst with enough ideas to fuel the British ‘Indie’ scene for about two years. The only worry is that this ecstatic burst of creativity might be so intense that it’ll prove impossible to follow up. Let’s hope that he at least tries. Duncan Vicat-Brown
Stone Sour Audio Secrecy
The Sword Warp Riders
It’s impossible to try to guess where Stone Sour could have gone after their hugely successful Come What(ever) May sophomore album in 2006, which showed the world that Slipknot’s frontman Corey Taylor could take on hard-rock with force as well as fronting one of the most significant nu-metal bands of the decade. But it was worth the 4 year wait. This album is a masterful combination of sensitive ballads and trademark frenetic Stone Sour tirades, creating a work that draws upon both the past and future of the band member’s lives and their sound. Perhaps the key development for Audio Secrecy is the focus of much of the album’s tracks. Corey takes a retrospective look at an individual’s attempts to hold onto a fragile marriage (Dying and Hesitate) and explore tentative new beginnings (Say You’ll Haunt Me, Pieces). This is a marked contrast to the socially aware, anti-war messages of previous albums. Audio Secrecy in many ways feels like the big brother of Come What(ever) May. Controlled and well-timed moments of intensity in the tracks work alongside the juxtapositon of discordant harmonies and gripping melodic twists. Despite this the album still sounds familiar with Taylor’s unique vocals and Jim Root’s guitar solos surfacing on many tracks, reminding fans of
The Sword’s first concept album, in their own words, was a slight divergence from their previous work, said to contain acoustic numbers, instrumentals and some of their heaviest songs to date. Their first externally produced album also meant Cronise’s vocals, usually competing with gargantuan sound, can clearly be heard in all its echoing resonance. The Sword’s sound is ancillary to an army of cave trolls marching into a peasant village to squash things; their ethos a brutal attack on silence of any kind. Live, this energy pulsates with a preternatural force that leaves you wondering if the venue is structurally sound afterwards or just another broken building in the band’s wake. Acheron/Unleashing the Orb is an ominous instrumental affair and a statement to Cronise’s vision with an enigmatic opening to the narrative. The Chromancer Part 1: Hubris is a rhinoceros that barrages between funk and some of their heaviest material yet, sitting next to Lawless Lands, more of a bluesy funk song given the Sword treatment, with organ filled bridges and sludgy verse. The Sword frequently tie their endings and openings into a pleasing enjambment of riffs, and there’s no exception with
the character at the centre of the band. The significance of this record is in the offering of a progressive, lighter ending that is dotted about the album. This takes it beyond the cyclical emotional feel of previous albums and helps Audio Secrecy to emerge as a complete whole. It’s evidence of Taylor’s personal journey and reflective of the maturation of the band. This is where the value of the album lies, it is not to be underestimated, but by all means let it surprise you. Liz Jackson
calls me the Loch Ness monster. Two big humps, then I’m gone”. Jimmy Carr would kill for this kind of material. The real triumph of this record lies in the unprecedented degree to which Cave has remained just as dangerous, just as rambunctious and just as vital after a career spanning more than three decades. Rock ‘n’ Roll is alive and well, it just doesn’t belong to the kids anymore. Tom McInnes
Warp Riders. Cronise at his best and Trivett Wingo’s distinctively grandiose drumming make it clear why it’s the title track. The album rounds off with archetypal Sword; a euphonic work from Cronise lamenting on apocalyptic visions of the sky raining fire, a medley of stabbing guitar and rolling drums that fade back to the burgeoning threat of Acheron/Unleashing the Orb, providing closure on a doom metal gem from one of the best modern stoner metal bands. Jack Burrows
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE MUDDY It’s somewhere between June and September and for some reason, you’re in the middle of a field that vaguely smells of piss and doubting the structural integrity of your tent. Ah, festival season, that youthful rite of passage. There’s great music, great stories and the kind of debauchery that could make an entire series worth of programming for the Jeremy Kyle Show. Wish you were there? Venue was. Here’s what they had to say...
CREAMFIELDS BY LIZ JACKSON As a festival with a capacity almost equal to Reading and Leeds, Creamfields remains comparatively underpublicized, but for me no other festival this year rated as high and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
After one of the biggest wrist-band exchange queues ever, finding out why people carry tents across campsites at festivals, and waiting for one latecomer to arrive after work, it was time to head to the arena for some music. At the main stage, there was time to see the end of Blondie, doing a rendition of Taio Cruz’s Break Your Heart (which when singing later at the campsite was changed from ‘heart’ to ‘bag’ after an incident with a pink Primark handbag). After this somewhat ironic enjoyment of the Cruz cover, the crowd sung along to the classic Heart of Glass and all was well. Next was Van Morrison, and more singing along to hits such as Brown Eyed Girl and Gloria. The Bread and Roses stage felt like a typical gig for unsigned band The Ruskins, as it was bursting with people, with the crowd’s energy bouncing off the walls, complete with a mosh-pit and trade-mark stage invasion. It was the perfect end to the first day of the two-day festival.
Sunday was a case of chilling out with lager-filled Hop Farm plastic cups in front of bands such as The Magic Numbers, Mumford & Sons, Peter Doherty, Laura Marling, and Johnny Flynn. All these bands gave amazing performances, and so, despite the bizarre visuals of Doherty’s background ballet dancers, it all added up to an enjoyable day. A personal highlight would be Laura Marling; she delivered an entertaining performance and her raw emotion flooded into the audience. Bob Dylan fans were left disappointed, to the point of leaving the two-hour set early to hear the classic songs they wanted via MP3 players at the campsite. The festival overall was good for those of us who feel they are getting too old to handle the longer festivals and would rather just two nights of late drinking. After the massive queues you are able to simply relax, and spend the days sitting on the grass listening to old and new favourites of folk and country music with a pint.
of the great remaining metal longboats of hairy, goodhumoured, leather-toting fiery semantics. Black Label Society and their bombadiering, buccaneering Berserkers literally shook the ground with their set, Zakk Wylde hunching over and then suddenly stretching, torturing himself as he strives to play faster and more intricately in an impressive spectacle. Joe Bonamassa brought his postmodern blues to the main stage with Led Zeppelin and ZZ Top medleys to boot, while ZZ Top themselves performed with the swagger of age while tipping their beards to their mentors, covering Hendrix with style. Argent added tongue-in-cheek self-depreciating bursts of hyper-organ to their progressive set rounding off with covers of Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock N’ Roll To You, while the more modern Opeth stunned the crowd with their somewhat distant set of prog-funk displaying
stunning technical ability. A great atmosphere reigned throughout the inaugural festival and the mix of music and entertainment proved popular with fans, promising to draw large crowds again next summer.
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Swedish House Mafia’s set was another one that has to be mentioned. Despite running concurrently with Tiësto (who was actually disappointingly quiet) they were so popular that the tent walls had to be lifted to allow people way outside its boundaries to see the stage. The crowd was going wild from start to finish, with the mixes being second-to-none. Whilst SHM’s performance alone was clearly world class their refreshingly unpretentious demeanour, and their joy at being part of the festival made them a stand out act. Trying to condense the highlights proved difficult given how amazing every minute was, but the thing that stood out most was the phenomenal atmosphere all weekend. Photos show a landscape filled with morph suits, superhero costumes, Deadmau5 heads, inflatable dinosaurs, flying Pringles pots (if you were present for Calvin Harris) and scantily clad girls sat on revellers shoulders, all throwing crazy shapes to the same infectious beats.
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Creamfields 2010, the Mecca for all dance fans, exceeded expectations both in the sets themselves and in the line-up. It was hard not to feel like a child in a candyshop; there was every conceivable artist on offer, from masters like Pete Tong and Judge Jules to Deadmau5, Armin Van Buuren, Annie Mac and Eric Prydz. An undoubted highlight was David Guetta’s set which became the benchmark for the whole festival. Featuring enough LEDs to make Blackpool seem tame, laser-toting robots on stilts and 10ft-tall decks, it was easy for the 40,000 strong crowd to believe that God is indeed a DJ, with Guetta, the acting Messiah, creating a frenzied atmosphere he called “the biggest party on the planet”. Whether playing massive hits like Sexy Bitch, remixes, or less mainstream songs, David Guetta cemented his status as the world’s most in-demand artist right now and continued to prove he has the Midas touch for any song he takes on.
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If you’re into some old school prog rock, a bit of metal and some good old fashioned rock’n’roll, then High Voltage was the place to be this July. With a great mix of ages and a pragmatic, community feel to the weekend, the world seemed a little less hopeless for a couple of days. The line up consisted of bands ranging from progressive legends Emerson Lake and Palmer, to stoner metal super group Down. Notable bands included Heaven and Hell, playing a tribute to the late Ronnie James Dio, putting on a great set and including some rare gems such as I and Turn up the Night. The Answer were also there, providing some Irish Led Zep-esque hard rock blues. Orange Goblin and the mountain bear Ben Ward took us on a strangely modest British stoner trip. The workhorse of heavy metal Saxon brought their iconoclastic geetar to the metal stage, proving they’re one
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Hanging on the edge of your seat since finishing the last page? Salivating in anticipation of Jay-Z’s Godliness, Axl Rose’s continuing public breakdown and uh... V. We weren’t finished with you yet, baby! So feast your eyes on this...
V by Beth Wyatt However sad as it may sound, V Festival becomes my life every August. It is now much more than a tradition. From the New Year onwards I develop a severe impatience, itching to find out the line-up, then of course there’s the fierce fight for tickets, which sell out in just minutes. Luckily I have been fortunate enough to attend V four years in a row, although only for one day each time. Camping at festivals means bugs, no showers, and portaloos, not to mention the fact that after one day at V I am absolutely knackered! Besides, I certainly get my fill of music with a day pass. Over the last few years I have seen many class acts such as Muse, Foo Fighters, Snow Patrol and even met Lostprophets in the NME signing tent. This year was no different. My highlight of the day was listening to The Temper Trap perform Sweet Disposition. It seemed that the rest of the crowd loved it too, judging by their loud singing and their frenzied jumping. Some voices just cannot cut it on the live
Reading Festival may be infamous for Topshop-wearing sixteen year olds getting drunk and being too-cool-for-school, but at its heart it is still about the music. The line up for Reading was hotly debated, the headliners caused controversy over whether they were great or terrible but either way the weekend was jam-packed with true rock’n’roll personas, music and of course mud. One of the joys of going to festivals is seeing the new slew of festival-goers getting their feet, but there are few festivals like Reading where you can differentiate between the older festival-goer merely due to the age of the audience. The difference in clientele for the younger Paramore to the numetal kings Limp Bizkit posed the perfect opportunity to see the joy of Reading and the range of crowd it draws. Mumford & Sons, Foals and Mystery Jets flew the flag for indie and catered for the NME reader but the punk fan was also appeased with the Lock Up Stage not disappointing the
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stage, but lead singer Dougy Mandagi sounded absolutely phenomenal. Another great voice is that of Kelly Jones, lead singer of the Stereophonics, and hearing him sing at V for the second time was fantastic; Dakota is one of those songs the whole crowd is always going to go mad for. Another highlight was the discovery of a mysterious purple bus. Having never seen the like of it before at V, I went over and discovered that it was the Magic Numbers performing acoustically. The band had strong voices live and the addition of one of the V staff as a ‘beatboxer’ proved very entertaining. This is the amazing thing about V - you get to see acts that you might never have watched otherwise. So if I recommend any festival, it definitely has to be V. It does not matter what your music taste is, there is something for everyone, and who knows? You might get on the telly, too.
Reading by Fiona Howard
Isle of Wight by Carolina Bodmer
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King of hip hop and living legend Jay-Z provided a phenomenal performance at Isle of Wight during the start of the summer, making it the festival to beat. The ‘Hova’ effortlessly showed off his remarkable rapping skills when he graced IOW’s main stage with an incredible setlist that encapsulated his musical career, performing a mix of worldwide hits such as 99 Problems, Hard Knock Life and the electric Empire State of Mind amongst lesserknown early material to the appreciation of his career-long avid
fans. The throngs of thousands of people rapping along to lyrics together and making the trademark sign of ‘putting diamonds in the sky’ with their hands, (a reference to Jay Z’s record label R.O.C, whose symbol is a diamond) provided an overwhelming atmosphere to the night. Fans were drawn into an even bigger frenzy when Mr Hudson came onstage to perform Forever Young, but the most shocking revelation was during Run this Town when Jay Z brought out fellow rap star Kanye West, inducing the crowds to an ecstatic high. The iconic Jay Z was enjoying himself so much that he prolonged his set, and when he eventually left the stage after an encore, the crowd knew they had witnessed a show they would never forget. With this performance Jay Z showed that hip-hop artists can rival rock acts at English festivals, and in this case, even outshine them. As Jay Z raps in Encore, “I came I saw I conquered, from record sales to sold-out concerts”. And indeed, a conquest is an apt description of his Isle of Wight performance.
hardcore collective. But the true glory of Reading Festival 2010 was nostalgia, with bands like Guns N’ Roses (well, something vaguely resembling GNR anyway), The Libertines and Blink 182 all making an appearance, it truly was a nod to the trends of yesteryear. Highlights for any rock fan had to be Josh Homme performing an almost flawless Queens of The Stone Age set, Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem managing to create an intimate feel (an impressive feat considering size of the main stage), along with Frank Turner who really got the crowd going, getting them to sit up and down for Photosynthesis. It has to be said that the best instance of festival spirit by far was Weezer geezer Rivers Cuomo redefining the ‘front man’ by turning the event into a cabaret. The disaster that was Axl Rose doesn’t need to be rehashed, and other than a less than perfect set list from Alkaline Trio, the weekend delivered what it promised in abundance: fun, music, and laughs.
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Want to raise your profile? A role as one of the University’s Student Ambassadors could help set you on the right track. Even if you’ve just arrived at uni it’s not too early to start developing your graduate employability! You’ll need to be motivated, a good time keeper, reliable, trust worthy and positive about your university experience. There’s a huge variety of work to get involved in and the benefit of being part of the Scheme is the hours are up to you! You pick and choose when to apply for work that interests you when you are available. This might vary from: • Giving campus tours to visitors to the University during school/ college visits and Visit days • Working with small groups of school students during University Tasters • Attending Higher Education Fairs and Conventions or going back to your old school/ college • Participating during University Summer Schools, Focus Groups and Clearing hotlines • Leading groups of young students as part of our Primary liaison or Challenge badge Hear about the Scheme from current Student Ambassador on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during Fresher’s Week between 12-2pm in SU1.33, or visit our web pages for full details on how to apply. www.uea.ac.uk/outreach
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28SEPT10 ISSUE 244
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concrete.event@uea.ac.uk
Welcome to the rib tickingly, tummy achingly, can’t breathe for laughingly, funniest and best new Venue section..
comedy Think you’re funny? You might spend your evenings at the Comedy Store, swapping witty banter over a few, or perhaps you’re a blossoming stand up either way Venue now is providing the perfect opportunity for you to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard as the case may be. If you think you’ve got what it takes to write for the illustrious section head down to SocMart on Tuesday, 28 September and put your name down. Otherwise come along to the Big Meet on the Monday, 4 October at 1pm in the LCR.
Best & Worst Jokes from the Fringe
YOUTUBE Hits You Should’ve Seen
The Biggest Joke of Summer 2010?
“What do you call a kid with no arms and an eyepatch? Names.” Bo Burnham “Being an England supporter is like being the overoptimistic parents of the fat kid on sports day.” John Bishop “How many Spaniards does it take to change a lightbulb? Juan.” Dan Antopolski “Dave drowned. So at the funeral we got him a wreath in the shape of a lifebelt. Well, it’s what he would have wanted.” Gary Delaney “I was born into the music industry. My dad worked in Our Price.” Doc Brown 1. Best Cry Ever http://bit.ly/ahV3Jk Possibly the oddest cry you’ve ever heard - until you listen to the autotune version! 2.Dad Grooves to Justin Bieber http://bit.ly/caxYeF The unimpressed look on his daughters’ face would make this video, but the fact that he obviously has the moves makes it that much better. 3.Stephen Colbert Addresses Congress http://bit.ly/bYPoRG C-Span has never been known for its laughs; that is, until satirist Stephen Colbert addressed Congress. It’s fun just to watch the confusion on everybody elses face.
It’s been said many times, in many ways, but Axl Rose’s performance at Reading was nothing less than farcical and little more needs to be said. After all, a picture is worth 1000 words.
textsfromlastnight.com: This Week’s Highlights
1. (757): Sorry for scaring your son with my drunken animal impressions 2. (417): Let’s review the facts-we’re bored, we have a ton of beer, and we live 5 minutes from the zoo. This equation is easily solvable 3. (910): You kept throwing bottles at the dorm across the courtyard and when anyone told you to stop you just said “who 5.Never Say No To Panda are you? Al Gore?” http://bit.ly/be8wQZ 4. (231): I just bedazzled my weight watchers points calculator. You may not think that Mozarella cheese is the funniest of You can tell I’m gay. products. If so, then you’ve obviously not seen this Egyptian 5. (203): I don’t drink during the week.... well, except for Bailey’s advertisement. Tuesdays, which I have to start implementing further.
4.Single Ladies Devastation http://bit.ly/b2aFK3 Venue doesn’t usually recommend upsetting small children, but just try and deny the hilarity.
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YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN NORWICH September
Wednesday 6th
* A Rat’s tale - The Norwich Pupper Theatre - 7:30pm (£6.50/£8.50) * Literary Festival (continues until 24th November - LT1 - 6:30 (£36/£42 for season ticket)
Monday 27th
* Freshers Fair - LCR 11am-3pm * The Magic Numbers - Waterfront 7:30pm (£14adv) * Pendulum DJ Set - LCR - 9:30pm (£8adv)
Thursday 7th
* Film - Kick-Ass - LT1 - 7:30pm (£2.80) * Architects + Devil Sold His Soul - Waterfront (£11adv)
Tuesday 28th
Saturday 2nd
* Freshers Bash - Fields & LCR - 9pm (£9.99adv) * The Alternative Freshers Bash - Waterfront - 10pm-2am (£3.50)
Get to know the LCR Veterans of the UEA will know that the LCR is the cherry on top of a perfect Fresher cake. The LCR is the on-campus venue for club nights; gigs and special events; which take place every week throughout the year. As we are all aware by now, the Norwich nightlife is perhaps not the most electric of cities; so events on campus are the perfect substitute. Freshers, what more could you ask for than to roll out of your flat in a predrunken stupor, stumble the short walk to the square, party until your little Freshers feet get sore and then try to navigate one foot in front of the other across the veritable assault course of bushes and buildings back to your room. Simples! So the good people at Concrete have toiled night and day to give the students of UEA the definitive run down of the upcoming events of the fortnight not to be missed. Every Tuesday in term time there is a fancy dress event held at the LCR, ranging from the ever-popular permanent fixtures on the calendar of Skool Daze and Day Glo Rave; to the newer and a
little more contemporary ‘Cave Rave’ and ‘Under The Sea’ themes. Whatever the occasion, don your fancy finery and make it a night to remember. Thursdays at the LCR are usually reserved for special events, such as the up and coming POW! ft. Jaguar Skills. POW! is The Mustard Lounge’s club night which has found its way onto the LCR calendar. When the LCR is not being used as your local nightclub, its plays host to many gigs with artists such as Ellie Goulding, Plan B and Diana Vickers to name only a few who have graced our humble stage. If neither party nor music is your thing then the LCR is also by day a meeting place for societies, local businesses and a chance to get truly involved in university life.
Georgina Wade
* Film - Invictus - LT1 - 7:30pm (FREE) * UEA Pride LIBERATE! Icebreaker - Hive - 8pm-1am (FREE) * Jobs Fair - LCR 12-3pm
Tuesday 5th
* Universally Challenged - LCR - 10pm (£3.50adv) * Salsa - Hive - 5:30pm-6:30pm (£2)
Saturday 9th
FILM MUSIC
Monday 4th
* George’s Marvellous Medicine - The Playhouse - (various times) (£9/£13.50)
Sunday 10th
* Mark Chadwick (Levellers) - Waterfront - 7pm (£14)
Monday 11th
* Groove Armada - LCR - 7:30pm
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* Freshers Fair 2 - LCR - 11am-3pm * KANO -Waterfront - 7:30pm (£12.50adv) * Film - The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo LT1 - 7:30pm (£2.80) * POW! feat. Jaguar Skills - LCR - 10pm (£8adv) * Return of the Flange - Mercy (Free entry with flyer before 11.30pm)
* Karaoke Blue Bar - 8pm-11pm * Film- Shutter Island - LT1 - 7:30pm (£2.80) * Sarah Millican (comedienne) - LCR 7:30pm (£9adv) * 80’s Night and Hit Parade - Waterfront 10pm-2am (£3.50)
* The Big Prize Quiz - Blue Bar - register at 7:30pm (£3 per team) * The World Music Party - LCR 8/9pm (£4.50adv)
(£21.50adv)*
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Thursday 30th
Friday 1st
Sunday 3rd
You’ll spend most of your loan there, so here’s our guide to the source of many a drunken night to come..
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* SPORTSMART - LCR - 11am-4:30pm * Rock the Region - Waterfront - 7:30pm (£7 adv) * Zane Lowe DJ Hero Tour 2 - LCR 9:30pm (£6adv)
October
* Pams House meets Smiley CultureLCR - 9:30pm (£9adv) * Color Launch Party feat. MISTAJAM, BAILEY and TC - Waterfront - 10pm (£10adv) * Film - Toy Story 3 - LT1 -7:30pm (£2.80)
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Friday 8th
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* SOCMART - LCR - 2pm-7:30pm * NME Radar Tour - Waterfront - 7:30pm (£9.50adv) * The T-Shirt Party - LCR - 10pm (£4.50adv)
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concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk concrete.listings@uea.ac.uk
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concrete.competitions@uea.ac.uk
competitions
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Across 1: Sexual gratification arising from inflicting or submitting one to emotional or physical abuse (13) 6: Top storey under the roof of a house (5) 7: Make of biro (3) 9: To impress or urge forcibly (7) 10:To make or become confused (5) 11: Friend or accomplice (3) 12: Unit of weight; small quantity (5) 14: Of, or relating to, the rectum (6) 15: Type of hat (3) 18: Very fat (5) 21: Online diary (4) 22: Soft sweet made from sugar, butter, cream etc (5) 24: Foolish person (5) 25: Hit song for Roy Orbison and Don McLean (6) 26: Greek Goddess of wisdom (6)
Down 1: A succession of ascending or descending tones in music (5) 2: Characterised by a sense of duty (7) 3: Songwriting duo, Lennon & _ (9) 4: A bell-ringer (13) 5: Latin-American knife (7) 7: Furniture used to sleep upon (3) 8: Athletics discipline combining 10 separate events (9) 11: Ocean (7) 13: Sin, _ , tan (5) 16: _ field, used to grow rice (5) 19: Collective expression for persons of a very high class (5) 20: Howard from the Halifax sings: who gives you _ ? (5) 23:An indefinitelty long period of time; an age (3)
Win Crystal Castles Tickets! Cult Canadian electro band Crystal Castles are playing the LCR on Sunday 24/10/10, and courtesy of the Union we have three pairs of tickets to give away! With a reputation for chaotic and feverish live performances, this promises to be a fantastic gig from one of the best live acts of the last decade. For a chance of winning just bring your completed crossword to the Concrete Office by Friday 1/10/10.
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